Spellbound
by VampireQueenAkasha
Summary: -Pre Hellsing. Takes place after The Dawn.- A new face joins Millennium. One with an interesting gift. She tests Zorin in more intimate ways. - M for reasons. Zorin X OC. Re-written summary. Because I suck at them.-
1. I

**Spellbound**

**Author's Note**: Oh. A Hellsing fic. I haven't written one of those in a while. Seeing Hellsing OVA has rekindled my love of the series. I did a little naughty fic here. M for some raunchiness, and quite violent scenes. As per tradition with Hellsing's...ability to go over the top with it. Just a little tidbit before the events of Hellsing take place that bugged me until I wrote it.

I decided to make this a lengthy fic. I didn't like the previous attempts, so we'll see where this goes.

_"All extremes of feeling are allied with madness."_

\- Virginia Woolf, Orlando

_"I love you. You're mine. I'll kill any bastard who tries to take you from me." _

\- Samantha Young, On Dublin Street

**By: VampireQueenAkasha**

~O~

**I**

_Deutsches Theater_

_Berlin, 1992_

"Now Doctor. We can't be too hasty with this one."

"Of course, Major."

"She is a unique case. Not special in the grand scheme, but she could prove useful. Perhaps we will see soon enough when Zorin retrieves her."

"Zorin certainly knows how to make an approach..."

"Ah yes. That she does."

Elsa Bauer performed quite beautifully on stage.

That long, straight black hair. That slender form in a set of red, performing robes. God, she was like Rip, but without the freckles and glasses. Her eyes were gray and distant, even with the delightful smile on her face. Hm. Maybe smaller too and not as skinny as the musket-wielding lunatic.

With a group of performers dancing beside her as she performed a rather lovely rendition of a song titled "Gods and Monsters", Zorin would have believed her to be some sort of circus fool. But that was not the case. With that German accent of hers, Elsa's song was quite something.

As she continued her performance, Zorin studied a small file she had been given of the woman. The photo supplied and pinned to the file looked like a mug shot for when Elsa was fifteen years old. The girl looked positively miserable and hateful in the shot.

**Name: **Elsa Von Bauer

**Age: **27

**Occupation: **Performing arts.

**DOB**: April 15th, 1965

**The target possesses a psychic ability to manipulate rodents at will. How far this ability can go is uncertain. Approach with sure caution. **

A gifted human who could control rats. How...unusual it was, though Zorin had no need to fear such things. Her gift was strange, but apparently the Major had known her family from the distant past. Her grandfather had been a firm supporter and soldier of the Waffen-SS.

"The rat. Not a weapon. Not a feared force to be tampered with. A simple parasite. They are often seen as pests. Vermin. Low on the food chain. Not a single human being would ever fear these creatures on their own. But what if they were used in greater numbers?" the Major pondered this that same evening, chuckling to himself. "What if someone could take these animals and break them into something more?"

I want to see more of this...Elsa Von Bauer. The girl who lives in the attic of the theater. The artist who creates such music! I want to see what she can truly accomplish with her skills! These rats. Could all rodents fall under her spell? Could every rat and vermin in this world march to war at her song?! Let us see what she can do, Doctor."

Once the performance was over, people clapped and Elsa bowed on stage, smiling happily at the attention. Zorin actually stood up and applauded, smirking at the woman from across the audience. Elsa saw the larger woman and tilted her head curiously.

She had never seen her before.

But Elsa didn't think of it and just reveled in the applause and attention from her audience. Zorin decided to wait outside until she would leave, as not to stir attention from the locals.

So she waited outside around the back of the theater, flipping her lighter's lid open and shut a few times, smoking the last of her cigarette before she would return to the compound.

The door opened and Zorin glanced up, watching as Elsa departed. She was suggesting going out to get something to eat to celebrate with another performer and didn't seem to see her there.

"Yes, it was a great show, Elsa!" the other performer - a younger man - said. "You did marvelous! Amon is proud of you once again!"

Elsa laughed a little. "Thank you. I know he is as always. Listen, I'm just going to pick up dinner and I'll be back. I'll pick up the chicken for Hilda. Tell her I'll also get those spring rolls she likes so much."

"Okay. We'll have some champagne waiting for you!"

"I could use it! Thanks!"

Zorin followed Elsa to her car and carefully concealed her markings beneath her thick jacket. There was no point in frightening her with her appearance just yet. She'd run away and Zorin wasn't certain if she'd be able to catch someone as small as she was. The small ones were almost always faster. But the chase was always fun in some cases.

_Little rat, here I come._

Elsa paused at the driver's seat of her car, tilting her head up suddenly like a startled animal. Zorin stopped, curious by the younger woman's reactions. Did she hear something that Zorin herself did not?

_Behind you..._

_She's there..._

Elsa could hear the whispers and turned, frowning at Zorin's presence. Normally, she did not receive any approach from her audience like this. And she knew better than to trust people these days. Zorin could smell her fear, wafting thick in the air. Well, she was afraid. She should have been. But the mission was not to scare her. Yet, anyway.

"Quite a performance," Zorin said, standing on the opposite end of the car. She glanced down and noticed a few rats moving around her feet, scenting her. "You have quite the skill."

Elsa nodded, cautious. "Ah. Yes. _Danke_."

"But there is a greater show you can put on..._Ratte_." Zorin said, smirking.

Elsa looked a little troubled by that name, shifting where she stood. She studied Zorin and noticed the slightly hidden tattoos under the larger woman's jacket. "Who are you?"

Zorin grinned, showing her fangs.

Elsa's eyes widened.

"My superiors are asking that I bring you back with me," Zorin continued, "Now...we can do this the easy way..." She held out her hand in offering. "...or MY way." She brought her scythe out from behind her back at that now, the blade gleaming menacingly in the faint light of the moon. "The choice is yours."

Elsa studied the blade nervously before she turned and ran without a second thought. There was not much point in trying to go back through the theater backdoor. It had no handle on the outside for security measures.

Zorin chuckled, watching Elsa flee. "Ah. My way, then." she said.

Elsa raced down the alleyway with Zorin in hot pursuit. She jumped along a fence with ease, following alongside Elsa. The younger woman watched her with a cry of fright.

"You can't run forever!" Zorin called.

Elsa ignored Zorin's words, frantically sprinting toward the end of the alley. She almost made it to the street, but Zorin picked up a discarded bike tire near her and threw it. It whistled through the air and struck Elsa in the back of the neck, knocking her out.

Zorin calmly strolled over to her and tilted her head, studying the unconscious woman with amusement.

"I told you, didn't I?" she laughed.

She picked the woman up, throwing her over her shoulder before walking back to Elsa's car. She retrieved a duffel bag she had stashed in the alley and began to tie Elsa up with a rope. After a moment or two, she put a gag over her mouth to avoid having the woman scream.

Zorin climbed into Elsa's car and rooted through it, finding a set of keys in the dashboard. She made a triumphant sound and started the engine before driving off.

While she drove down the dark highway, Elsa was slowly regaining consciousness in the seat. She groaned softly beneath the gag and noticed Zorin digging through her center console, while smoking. It made her car smell horrible.

"What the hell is this?" Zorin asked, picking up a CD player. "'Favorite tracks'? Are you fucking me? Are you twenty-seven or five years old?"

Elsa squinted at her and muttered something.

Zorin glanced at the road and then down to her. "What's that?" she asked.

She removed the gag.

"Take whatever you want," Elsa insisted, coughing a few times from the smoke, "But just let me go."

"Can't do that, Liebchen." Zorin told her, chuckling.

"Please," Elsa begged. "Let me go. I have nothing to offer you. No one will know about this. I won't tell anyone. I promise. Please..."

Zorin arched an eyebrow down at her. "Okay, I'm going to put the gag back on you because you talk too goddamn much."

Elsa squirmed and struggled when Zorin fitted the gag back over her mouth. She uttered several muffled groans of protest.

O

Elsa couldn't stop but look around her environment as Zorin carried her into the compound over her shoulder. It had no flags nor any colors to help her identify where she was.

"Heil..." a passing figure addressed Zorin.

Elsa craned her neck over Zorin's shoulder to see who had spoken; a man passing them dressed in what she could have sworn was a Waffen-SS uniform; a common Stalhelm, a WW2-era trench-coat and a facecloth. It was a bizarre sight to see in this day and age.

She murmured in confusion and the man paused, grinning back at her. His eyes flashed red and he had rows of sharp teeth in his mouth. He brought a finger to his lips and made a "shushing" gesture.

Elsa's eyes widened with a frightened murmur.

Zorin walked toward a set of double doors and dropped Elsa to the floor, a little rougher than what she wanted/ The woman grunted in pain and looked up at the older woman.

"Now then..." Zorin said, kneeling down to Elsa's level. "I'm gonna ask you one question, and all I want is a yes or no answer: Do you wanna live through this?"

Elsa nodded.

"Good. Rule number one: No noise. No questions. If you make a noise..." Zorin held out her scythe and brought the blade under Elsa's nose. "my blade makes a noise. If you ask questions without being told to, my blade will gladly answer them for you. Now are you absolutely, positively clear about rule number one?"

Elsa nodded again with a frightened murmur.

Zorin nodded her approval. "Good. We understand each other then. Rule number two: Don't you ever try and fucking run on me again because I have my scythe and it can certainly run faster than you."

Elsa swallowed thickly.

Zorin read the sick look on her face and snorted with disgust.

"Now don't you fucking throw up on me, girl. Get up."

Zorin grabbed Elsa by her bounds and pushed the doors open, stepping into an enormous room filled with computer monitors. Elsa's eyes widened and she marveled at the sight while struggling to keep pace with Zorin's footsteps without being dragged. Several men and women dressed in Waffen-SS uniforms watched them silently, their eyes red and teeth sharp like the other she had seen.

In the center of a room was a man sitting in a metal chair, flanked by another in a long, tan jacket and one in a doctor's coat, speckled with blood. Elsa had never seen them before.

"Ah! First Lieutenant Zorin Blitz!" the Major said, smiling with approval. "You've brought my package!"

"I have, sir." Zorin replied, tossing Elsa to the floor in front of her.

"Was she trouble?"

"No. I've retrieved cripples who have put up more of a fight."

Elsa's face reddened and she growled lowly, embarrassed by the laughter.

"Ah, very good." the Major said, "Doctor. Please tend to our guest."

"Yes, Major." the Doctor acknowledged.

Elsa was helped onto her knees by the man and her bonds promptly removed. Elsa met his spectacle stare and he smiled pleasantly.

"I hope Zorin wasn't too rough with you," he told her.

Elsa rubbed her wrist. "Who are you people?"

The Doctor smiled, uttering an amused sound before turning to the Major. His leader would not be able to resist giving a grandiose speech.

The Major laughed and stepped down from his chair.

"We are but a single battalion..." he began. "The remnants of a defeated army numbering less than a thousand strong. We represent a force that could easily defeat an army of a million and one men! Who are we? We are a Kampfgruppe of one thousand vampires who will burn this world to ash!"

Elsa's eyes widened and she regarded the watching vampires, who seemed delighted by the Major's words.

"We are The Letzte Bataillon!"

O

They left her in a dark, padded cell.

Elsa paced around the room, screaming to be free, but to no avail. No one was letting her out, so she eventually gave up. She could see a camera in the corner as it watched her. She approached it and squinted into the lens.

The Doctor watched her on screen from the main chamber along with the Major.

"Have you searched through her things?" the Major asked.

The Doctor nodded and approached a table where several of Elsa's belongings had been laid out. A few soldiers were pushing her car into the hangar.

"Ah, a Bentley." the Doctor commented. "Expensive vehicle for a performer."

"Strip it down for parts," the Major told his soldiers.

"Yes, Major." they acknowledged.

The Doctor reviewed each item belonging to the woman they had taken into custody.

"One passport... A micro-bottle of Hennessy. An outdated issue of Vogue. A CD player with a single disk entitled 'favorite tracks'. Charming... A wallet..." The Doctor opened it and pulled out a few cards and money. "It has a few credit cards...four hundred Euros in cash. A photo of her...uhm...First Pet Rat. His name was Orange."

The Major laughed.

"Sir, this girl will require more than just training." the Doctor told him, "Do we have such time?"

"Doctor, we have waited almost fifty years for our moment," the Major reminded him. "All we have is time."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Yes, sir."

He turned to the monitors and brought up the camera feed of Elsa's cell.

"Elsa?" he said, in a microphone. "Can you hear me?"

Elsa looked toward the camera. "Yes. I can hear you."

"If you would kindly look to your left, a cell will open," the Doctor told her.

Elsa did as he said and turned toward the left wall, watching as a small hatch opened and a cage was pushed into her cell. It housed an enormous, filthy rat. Elsa backed away from it and held her hands to her ears.

The Doctor watched the sight with amazement. "Elsa, do you hear it?" he asked.

"Its...voice..." Elsa moaned, "It's so...loud. Stop!"

"You stop it, Elsa." the Doctor told her. "Make it bend to your will. This creature is half-starved. Insane. Driven into a frenzy. Show us what you can do with it."

Elsa shook her head with a murmur of displeasure.

"Do it, Elsa. Or it will attack you." the Doctor warned.

Elsa watched the tiny cage open and the rat scurried out. It made its way toward her and she gave a frightened cry, backing away into a corner. When the slavering animal was close enough, she squeezed her eyes shut and screamed out.

"STOP!"

The Doctor and Major watched in awe as the animal immediately stopped at her order. Elsa stared down at the rat and held out her hand. The rat sniffed it a little before jumping into her arms. She started to pet the animal and it seemed content.

"I want more tests, Doctor." the Major told his subordinate.

"Yes, Major."

O

Rats scurried across the metal of the testing lab.

The Doctor watched the sight with intrigue and scribbled down some notes on a pad. He studied Elsa, circling her as she held her arms out, focusing on keeping the rats in a straight line. Zorin watched from the sidelines, extremely fascinated. She cradled her scythe on her shoulder.

Warrant Officer Schrodinger stood beside her and watched with a grin.

"Interesting." The Doctor said, as he checked Elsa's teeth and shined a light in her eyes and ears. "How long were you able to do this?"

"Since birth." Elsa answered.

"Hm. Is it like a muscle?" the Doctor queried, intrigued. "What do you flex when you call them?"

"I...don't know." Elsa responded, when he measured her. "I've always been able to think about them and they just arrive."

"Interesting!" the Doctor scribbled some notes on a pad of paper. "Interesting indeed. Well, now we have to take a physical. Nothing invasive, my dear. I just need to see if you have anything else special."

Zorin scoffed and the Doctor gave her a look.

"Don't start." he ordered.

Zorin shrugged her shoulder.

He rolled his eyes at that reaction. Then, he offered Elsa a medical gown and waited.

Elsa stared at him, uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" the Doctor asked.

"Can you...turn around?" Elsa said, as if he should have known.

"Oh! Yes, of course." the Doctor turned his back on her.

"Those two also."

Zorin let out a suffering groan and turned. Schrodinger did as well. It took a few minutes and Elsa was changed into the gown.

"You can look now." she said.

They turned back around and the Doctor smiled. "All right. Let's begin."

The tests were simple, like any other physical that Elsa had received when she was young and visited the doctor's office in the past. She simply did as he said to avoid any form of punishment or physical injury. Once it was all finished, the Doctor drew some blood.

"Just a little bit," he assured her.

"Doctor, you don't need to coddle her," Zorin sighed.

"Well, knowing you, Zorin; you probably scared the poor thing enough," the Doctor quipped.

"She should be frightened."

Elsa winced a little when he pricked her finger.

At the sight of the blood, a rat in a cage suddenly hissed at him, going ballistic in its housing. The Doctor, Zorin and Schrodinger watched curiously.

"Ah! Look at that!" the Doctor exclaimed, delighted. "It seems they respond when you are in pain. Even the most rabid rodent is at your command! Impressive! Truly impressive!"

Elsa managed a small smile.

O

Elsa squirmed uncomfortably as she walked, trying to find some manner of comfort in her gray uniform she was made to wear.

"When the Major approaches, you always address him as 'sir' or 'Major'." the Doctor told her. "Show respect and you will not be harmed."

Elsa was careful and assumed that if she did as they said, all would be well.

The same man in glasses approached them. He was flanked by the Captain. The taller man regarded Elsa silently and she quickly averted her eyes. Keeping eye contact in uncomfortable situations was never her greatest strength.

"Ah! Elsa!" the Major greeted, "I trust the Doctor's tests were not too unpleasant?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, sir."

"Good. Walk with me, dear."

Elsa glanced at the Doctor for affirmation and the other man nodded.

"Tell me, Elsa..." the Major said, as they walked. "You were affiliated with what circus?"

"Circus Roncalli," Elsa answered. "My stage name was The Rat Whisperer and I performed shows for tourists, most commonly. The rats would come from all corners of the world. Each one with a different song. I was a part of the circus' Freak Show attraction."

"Freak? Such an appalling word for one so fair..." the Major sighed, dismay in his voice. "And such demeaning work. Your abilities are far useful for more...delightful tasks than being put on display for mere children."

Elsa lowered her head.

"Now then. You are aware of the history of your family, correct?" the Major continued, "Your grandfather was a proud warrior of the Waffen-SS."

"Yes, sir."

"What became of him, do I wonder?"

"I received letters. But he died a long time ago."

The Major stopped in front of a long row of soldiers. They saluted him. The Major waved their salute and smirked over at Elsa.

"Did he now?" he said.

Elsa looked a little confused and looked toward the throng of vampire soldiers.

"Would a Caspar Von Bauer please step forward?" the Major called, pleasantly.

The group separated, leaving a single vampire soldier standing. His eyes widened when he saw Elsa and a grin spread across his face, displaying his fangs.

"Elsa?" he said.

Elsa smiled brightly. "Grandfather?"

Caspar rushed to her and threw his arms around the younger woman. Those watching weren't too sure what to make of the sight, so they stayed quiet.

"Look at you!" Elsa exclaimed, smiling. "Vampire!"

Caspar laughed. "I know, ja! How's my little granddaughter?"

Elsa's smile disappeared. "I've...been better." she said, "Kidnapped. Threatened. But I suppose that's nothing new, when you get down to it."

Caspar sighed. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

Then, he grinned happily. "But you're here now!"

He put his arms around her again.

Elsa returned the embrace and stared off into space. The conflicted look from her made the Major grin.

He had her now.

O

Later, Elsa was sent to a training exercise with her grandfather.

Zorin watched this from afar, reviewing a detailed plan to the Captain before she became distracted by the sight. She thrust the clipboard into his hands and made her way through the group of training vampires.

"Sergeant?" she told Caspar. "I'll take it from here."

Caspar nodded. "Yes, First Lieutenant."

He stepped aside and Zorin twirled her scythe a bit before setting it against a wall. She smiled unpleasantly at Elsa, who stood, unrelenting. But she suddenly felt more nervous than before.

"If you need hand-to-hand training, you should have asked, Liebchen." she said. "I can show you better than most."

Elsa was cautious, but didn't respond.

She didn't see much choice in the idea.

"Go on then." Zorin said, watching as Elsa raised her fists in a defensive stance. "Try and hit me."

"What?" Elsa said, surprised.

"I know you heard me."

Elsa still looked confused and glanced toward Caspar.

"Don't look at him." Zorin ordered.

Elsa immediately looked away, meeting Zorin's gaze.

"Here's the deal," Zorin told her. "I'm not easy to get along with. Most can attest to that. And I'm getting the feeling you're a bit of a bitch. But maybe I'm not being too fair. If you can drop me on my ass, you're free to go. No strings attached."

Elsa looked surprised. "Really?'

"Really." Zorin looked back at the soldiers, who stopped to watch. She bellowed out her words now. "Anyone have an issue with that? Elsa's free to go if she can drop me, are we clear?!"

"YES, SIR!" the soldiers said, in unison.

Sir? Elsa was a little confused at how they addressed her. She was a woman.

"There, you see?" Zorin smirked at her.

Elsa still seemed doubtful.

Zorin clenched her fists together and the leather of her glove strained. She stood in a fighting stance and Elsa attempted to mimic it.

"Now, our operation is small, but there's a lot of potential for 'aggressive' expansion." she said, chuckling. "And the Major is intrigued to see how much you can take."

Elsa opened her mouth, confused and almost close to protesting, but a fist contacted her jaw. She let out a cry and went stumbling backwards, almost falling onto her ass. Caspar winced, closing his eyes and looking away. He could do nothing to stop it. He was practically inferior, after all.

Elsa leaned against the wall, holding her jaw in one hand.

"Come on!" Zorin ordered. "Fight me!"

Elsa looked down at her hand, at the blood. Zorin grinned cruelly at her.

"What, afraid of a little blood?" she sneered, taking Elsa's wrist and looking down at it as well. "You'll get it worse, believe me. Now fight. Fight like you WANT TO LEAVE!"

Elsa groaned when Zorin kicked her in the ribs. She choked out spit and blood.

But it didn't stop there.

Whenever she tried to fight back, Zorin was practically a frenzied beast upon her; she beat Elsa into the ground several times, but the woman just kept getting back up. Only to be beaten down again.

She continued getting up, but was beaten down by Zorin without much effort. The cheers from the soldiers and lieutenants was almost deafening. Zorin simply shook her head with dismay as the woman continued to get up, only to be beaten down again. After a while, the laughter had died down and everyone watched her silently.

"You keep coming, don't you?" Zorin sneered, watching Elsa stand again. "Impressive. You can certainly take a beating."

Caspar watched his granddaughter struggle to her feet.

"Elsa, stop..." he whispered.

Zorin wiped her knuckles of the blood and the soldiers laughed at the smell of it. "Do you want to be a warrior and honor your grandfather?" she sneered, "Or will you lay there like a weak little _Scheisse_?"

Elsa glared at her, blood dripping from her mouth. Her left eye was beginning to swell.

Zorin took Elsa's jaw in her hand. She leaned forward, studied the bloodied face of the woman and made a thoughtful sound. Her voice was still cruel. "Not so pretty now, are you?"

"I...don't have to be afraid of you..." Elsa hissed, through her blood-soaked teeth.

"Oh, you do, Elsa." Zorin cackled, "You REALLY do."

Elsa glowered at her.

"Actually, let's get you cleaned up!" Zorin took Elsa's neck and dragged her back to a water barrel.

She shoved Elsa's head in the water, holding her while she struggled and squirmed. Those watching were stunned to silence.

"Zorin..." Caspar protested.

Zorin glowered at him. "Is there a problem?"

Caspar did not answer. He stared at Elsa with unease.

Finally, Zorin pulled Elsa from the water and the human gasped.

"Maybe you can sing yourself out of this one, Liebchen!" she sneered. "Sing Germany's National Anthem! Nice and loud now!"

Elsa sputtered a few times before she started. "Germany, Germany above all..." she choked.

"In your Mother Tongue, bitch!"

"_Deutschland, Deutschland über alles_..." Elsa moaned, finally giving in, "_Über alles in der W-Welt_..." A cough. "_Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze_..."

Zorin regarded the watchers with disgust. "Now you see? This bitch should have told me to fuck off." she sneered. "She's a goddamn weakling. We don't need a rat wrangler among us!"

Elsa snarled and drew her head back, cracking it hard against Zorin's face.

Zorin lost her grip on her, stumbling from the sudden blow. Elsa screamed at her and charged into Zorin's abdomen while the older woman held her nose, sending them both falling to the floor.

The shock on the vampire's faces was remarkable. Caspar grinned with pride and gestured to her, and then himself. He watched Elsa stomp Zorin in the ribs a few times.

"Stay on her, Elsa!" he shouted, over the chaos.

"You fucking CUNT!" Zorin snarled, enraged. "I'm going to shove my fist up your ass and use you as a fucking hand puppet!"

Elsa kicked again, but Zorin grabbed her leg and twisted, sending her falling forward...right into a waiting fist. It was enough to knock her unconscious.

O

Elsa winced while the Doctor touched up her wounds. The pain was excruciating and she felt moments away from throwing up. Luckily, there was a garbage can nearby should that need arise.

"Well, you should be fine." he said. "God, Zorin did a number on you."

Elsa snorted.

"She can't just do that to people."

"Technically, she can." the Doctor said, dabbing her chin with alcohol. "But you didn't falter. Not even a tear. I've seen most cry like little children." He smiled a little. "To be honest, I think she might like you. I've seen her do far worse to most of the new recruits we've had."

"I'm blessed..." Elsa quipped.

The Doctor smiled and gave a chuckle of amusement. "Ah, you have a sense of humor. Precious."

"I suppose I had to at some point. I DO - well, DID - work in theater and entertainment."

"I find that sometimes people who entertain and make others laugh, have difficulty doing so for themselves," the Doctor said, gathering used cotton swabs. He deposited them in a garbage can.

Elsa glanced down briefly.

"Can I have my CD player back now?" she asked.

"We'll see." the Doctor said, moving to wash his hands. "If you sleep tonight and behave, you may have it back."

"All right."

Elsa was led back to her cell by the Captain. She glanced up at him occasionally, but found that he stared straight ahead and didn't even look at her.

When they arrived at her cell, he gave her a push and she stepped into it.

Darkness welcomed her once more.

She walked to a corner of the cell and began to sing the National Anthem of Germany. Her singing carried through the pipes and vibrated through most of the compound.

Zorin was laying in bed, smoking a cigarette and reading from a magazine. She glanced up at the singing.

_Stupid girl. _she thought.


	2. II

~O~

**II**

Elsa felt unbelievably sore the next morning.

Sleeping on the floor wasn't exactly the most comfortable, especially after she had been beaten to hell and back by Zorin. Everything felt swollen and tender to even touch.

The cell door was opened and Elsa immediately stood up. The Captain entered the room, holding a tray of food in two hands. He regarded her emptily.

The smell of food made Elsa's mouth water.

"Is...that for me?" she asked.

The Captain nodded his head and carried the tray over to her. He gestured for her to sit and she did. When she was comfortable enough - despite the pain - she was given the tray.

It wasn't much.

A hot sandwich with some ham and cheese. Some fruit in a cup. A carton of milk and oh...a lollipop. That must have been from the Doctor. He seemed nice enough to her, anyway. Elsa glanced up at the Captain, who gestured to the tray with a flick of his head. She smiled sheepishly and nodded, taking a bite of the sandwich. She was starving, so any food was enough for her.

The Captain watched her while she ate, which was a little uncomfortable, but she had a feeling that he was ordered to make sure she ate everything. He didn't move otherwise.

When Elsa was finished, she opened the lollipop and gave the Captain a weak smile as she popped it into her mouth. It was sour apple flavored.

When he seemed satisfied, the Captain took the tray and beckoned for her to follow him. She struggled to stand, wincing at the pain in her leg as she limped alongside him.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

The Captain didn't answer.

Elsa was quiet, murmuring with displeasure. She had no idea if he was being silent deliberately or not. Either way, it seemed a little rude to her, but she didn't voice that.

She could hear singing coming from another room and paused, stopping to see Rip twirling her musket and singing "Der Freischütz". She pricked her head up curiously and approached a radio. The Captain didn't seem interested in stopping her, so he followed.

"Ah!" Rip brightened when she saw Elsa. "You're what everyone's talking about right now!"

Elsa lowered her eyes. "Ah...I suppose..."

She glanced at the radio. "Weber's Der Freischütz?"

"Ja! One of my favorites! You know it?"

"I performed it on stage when I was seven."

Rip laughed and gave her shoulder a light push. "You did not."

"No. Really. Father insisted that I performed only the classics." Talking about her favorite things certainly made things less uncomfortable in the room right now.

Rip smiled happily. "Do you know the words?"

"Most of them, yes."

"Sing it with me!"

Elsa's eyebrows rose. "Here? Now?"

"Yes!"

Elsa smiled a little, delighted by Rip's enthusiasm.

"Okay then." she said.

Rip cleared her throat.

_"Mein Sohn, nur Mut!" _she sang. _"Wer Gott vertraut, baut gut!"_

She gestured to Elsa to continue with her and the other woman laughed a little, joining in.

_Jetzt auf! In Bergen und Klüften_

_Tobt morgen der freudige Krieg!_

Elsa laughed when Rip took her hands and they spun around the room. The Captain just silently watched them as they danced around him. He didn't move.

_Das Wild in Fluren und Triften,_

_Der Aar in Wolken und Lüften_

_Ist unser, und unser der Sieg!_

_Und unser der Sieg! Und unser der Sieg!_

Rip laughed and stopped the music. "Ah! You're such fun!" she said, playfully tugging Elsa's arms. "I think you and I will be such friends! What do you say?"

Elsa chuckled before wincing, holding her arm.

"Oh! What happened to you?" Rip asked, surprised. In the excitement, she just NOW took notice to the horrid bruises on Elsa's face and the poor limp in her stance.

"That big woman happened." Elsa murmured.

"Oh, you mean Zorin? Ah, she does that to all the new ones. It's her way of...'breaking them in' so to speak. You'll walk it off fine in no time." Rip said, waving it off. "But..." She leaned close, getting into Elsa's personal space. "Oh, I wouldn't worry. It doesn't look too terrible. Ah! She must have went easy on you, my dear!"

"Why must you say that?" Elsa looked disgruntled. "That terrible woman beat the ever living daylights out of me!"

"And yet you shed no tear." Rip pointed out. "How fascinating..."

Elsa backed away and didn't realize she had bumped into the Captain.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"No tear. Not a single one." Rip mused, tilting her head with fascination. "No sniffle. Not a single whimper of agony...despair. You just let it all soak in?"

Elsa flicked her gaze away.

_"You don't laugh. You don't cry. You're a freak, Elsa."_

_"Look at her. She just sits there talking to those rats. Goddamned freak."_

"I don't cry." Elsa said, quietly.

Rip made a thoughtful sound. "Hmm. Sooner or later, that sponge soaking up all of that pain is going to ooze out, my dear. When it does, you'll just fall straight off your rocker!" She laughed with delight, twirling her musket before letting it rest on her shoulders. "I want to be there when it happens!"

Elsa frowned. "It won't happen."

"We'll see, dearie!" Rip sang, sauntering away with Elsa under her arm. "We'll see."

O

"Well then...here you are."

Elsa was immensely relieved when the Doctor returned her CD player to her. She immediately put the headphones over her ears and began to play some music.

"What are those used for?" he asked, curious.

Elsa lowered them a little. "What?"

"What are the headphones used for?" he repeated.

"Sometimes I can hear their voices...The rats, I mean." Elsa explained, "They can get loud. Very loud. It...hurts a little if they're too loud - much like someone screaming in your ear. I get migraines and for weeks on end at the worst of times."

"Did you take any medicine for it?"

"No. Well, I used to. But they made me lightheaded and dizzy. I also had nightmares."

The Doctor nodded his head in approval, glad to see her complying with his request of behaving and answering his questions without hesitation.

"I see," he said, "I checked the sample of your blood. Everything has come back perfectly. No unhealthy mutation in your genetics whatsoever. How you came to be is...intriguing. I would like to know more about your medical history, if I may."

Elsa took a seat and watched the Captain carefully for a second before she spoke.

"I did have asthma when I was a little girl," she said, toying with her hands in her lap. "Panic attacks. You name it. I also suffered terrible nightmares when I was five. But my rats...seemed to sense this...and they came to me."

The Doctor noticed the self-comforting gesture, but did not speak on it.

"When I was born, I was told that a crowd of rats appeared near the hospital and stood by the window where my mother was being kept," Elsa continued, glancing down. "My mother explained this to me when I discovered my abilities. No one could understand it, really. They thought it was just a strange coincidence. Hardly a miracle of science."

"And were they frightened?"

"Terribly so. My father did what he could to keep myself out of contact with rats. We practiced with music. It...distracted me from hearing their whispers."

"Whispers."

"Yes." Elsa nodded at the Doctor's intrigued expression. "Sometimes it would be soft, barely audible. Then, I could hear them telling me things. Things about the earth. The grass. The wind. Things I would have never dreamed of. Then, they would whisper to me. Warn me if something was going to happen. If another rat died - a rat I considered a friend - I could feel their pain. In here."

She touched her chest with one hand.

The Doctor listened, smiling. He moved closer to her, studying Elsa's expressions with amazement.

"Sometimes they would tell me things I didn't want to hear..." Elsa looked away now, pain on her face. "Sometimes they knew if someone was dying or died. And they would tell me. They would tell me everything. It didn't matter how terrible it was. They just wanted to tell me. Because they knew I could hear them."

The Doctor stared down at Elsa's hands and noticed that she had a few tiny scars peppering them along the bandages from being beaten by Zorin. They looked older and small, like little bite-marks.

"Well, we can try some more tests later." he said, "I still have to do some more research and your presence is not needed."

"What must I do, then?"

"Find your grandfather. Perhaps you can catch up."

"Thank you."

O

Caspar seemed oddly proud of his granddaughter.

"But I didn't do anything," Elsa said, confused.

"Yes, but you took the beating like a man," Caspar told her, pointing a finger. "You didn't give up or relent to her demands. You kept going and you continued to stand, even though you were losing. And that is what it means to be one of us, Elsa. That is what it means to be strong."

Elsa didn't really understand it. She didn't want to be a part of anything they were planning, but with the only true family she had really felt love from still alive and among her, she felt tugged to stay.

Plus, whatever was here didn't truly feel as frightening as what was outside.

That was ridiculous. When did she make that crazy assumption?

_...She's behind you, Elsa..._

_...The big lady with marks is there..._

Elsa turned and noticed Zorin approaching. Immediately, she felt that nervousness and anger return. The whispered warning must have been from a nearby rat as the Doctor had been retrieving them for her for tests.

"Sergeant." Zorin acknowledged to Caspar. "Return to your position."

"Yes, First Lieutenant." Caspar said.

He left without hesitation and Elsa watched him go before she met Zorin's gaze. The larger woman smirked at her, studying the bruises that mottled the left side of her face. Her eye was black, but no longer as swollen as it had once been.

"The Doctor tells me you should full recover in a matter of days," Zorin said.

Elsa didn't reply. She just glared up at her.

Zorin chuckled, showing her fangs.

But Elsa didn't falter from the sight, though her hands did shake a little. Her heart did beat a little faster. Fear? Sure, she was terrified, but she wasn't going to let this horrible woman know it. Zorin laughed and sauntered away, still carrying her scythe on her shoulders.

O

Elsa wasn't certain she liked target practice.

For one thing, the targets were live humans.

She gaped, watching as the SS soldiers took shots, laughing the entire time. The sight of the gore and carnage almost made her vomit. She could not believe the terrible murder she saw take place in front of her. Even her grandfather laughed and cheered at the sight.

"Come on, Elsa! Ready?"

She blinked once, looking to Rip as the vampire took aim with her musket. Elsa watched in horror as she took a shot. The bullet danced wildly through the air and she struggled to follow it, but it pierced two targets through the rib-cage, killing them instantly.

Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open.

"What did they do to deserve to die?" she asked.

Rip stared at her strangely before smiling. "You're so strange, Elsa." she laughed. "Strange little Elsa. It's not what they do that we kill them. It's because we just can."

Elsa still looked horrified.

The targets hung by meat-hooks and one was still squirming, barely alive. He mumbled on the hook, blood gushing from his mouth. Elsa watched the pitiful sight with anguish.

"Is...he dead?" she asked.

Rip chuckled and her bullet finally passed through his head in a spray of gore.

"He is now!" she sang, happily.

Jan and Luke Valentine merely walked by. Jan's shoulder bumped against Elsa's and he snorted, scowling at her with irritation.

"Who the fuck are you?" he snapped.

"Jan, this is Elsa!" Rip introduced. "Elsa, these are the Valentine brothers. Jan? Luke? Elsa can control rats. She's going to be quite useful in the future, I know it!"

Jan rolled his eyes and twirled his finger in the air. "Whoop-de-damn-doo."

Luke smiled and shook Elsa's hand. "Delighted."

Elsa was a little put off by his politeness as it was a first she had encountered.

"Elsa Von Bauer, is it?" Luke questioned.

"Yes."

"Ah! You performed Danse Macabre in 1984, didn't you? At the Paris Theater?"

Elsa smiled somewhat. "I did."

"I absolutely adored your voice. I visited the theater after one of my jobs," Luke told her. "Your musical talent is something to be admired. Jan didn't go, of course."

"Hey, I told you Tuesday's are my jerk-off days. You know this."

Elsa made a face.

"Charming, isn't he?" Luke told her, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"We're teaching Elsa to shoot!" Rip announced. She made a face and shrugged her shoulders. "So far, she's a bit uncomfortable with it."

Jan looked at Elsa and pulled out a pistol from his pocket. "Why? You a pussy or something?"

Elsa grimaced. "No, I just - "

"Ah, she's a fucking pussy!" Jan sneered, "Pussy! Pussy! Pussy!"

Elsa was getting annoyed by his pushing at her shoulder. "Stop it." she said, pursing her lips.

"Fuck that shit. You're a pussy."

Luke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, you don't shoot, then some asshole with a swinging dick is gonna get you, bitch!" Jan sneered, "Then you'll end up completely fucktarded for the rest of your life. That'd suck some balls, wouldn't it?"

Elsa hated his foul language and quite frankly, she was getting angry when he shoved the gun into her hand. It had been the first time that she held one and it was warm from Jan's pocket.

"Take the fucking thing." Jan ordered.

Elsa glared up at him.

"Stop cussing." she snapped.

"Ooh!" Jan held up his hands mockingly. "Now the bitch is getting some base in her voice. Listen to this shit, bro! Fancy theater cunt's getting pissed!"

"Stop." Elsa warned, her face getting red.

"Jan, shut UP." Luke said, annoyed. "She doesn't want to shoot. Leave her alone."

"Shoot me, then, bitch!" Jan taunted, grinning down at Elsa. "Come on! Put one right in my fucking ass! Right here!" He turned and slapped his ass for emphasis. "Shoot me right here!"

Through the crowd, Zorin watched this. She looked furious.

"Bitch ain't gonna do it, bro!" Jan sneered, "She's a fucking pussy!"

Before any of them knew it, Zorin was upon Elsa in a second; she shoved the woman into a wall and pressed her boot heel into Elsa's abdomen. The human cried out in pain and met Zorin's furious gaze.

"Good," Zorin hissed, "Now I have your attention. You listen good, Liebchen; Don't EVER point a fucking gun at someone unless you have every goddamn thought to pull the trigger. Are we clear?"

Elsa groaned in pain and nodded.

"And you..." Zorin turned to Jan, still keeping her foot against Elsa. "Get the FUCK back to work. She's not your toy and if I catch you fucking with her again, I WILL shred you like confetti. Understood?"

Jan held out two hands and backed off. "Don't sweat it, bull-dyke."

Rip studied Zorin and noticed the woman was covered in blood and dirt. "Why are you so dirty, Zorin?" she asked.

Zorin lowered her foot from Elsa. "I was digging out those bodies from the other end of the building." She gave Rip a sarcastic scowl. "What's your excuse?"

She walked away and Elsa let out a furious screech into her hands. Rip smiled at her.

"I HATE her!" Elsa cried, "She's horrible!"

"That she is."

"If I can get strong enough to beat her, maybe I can finally leave." Elsa said. "That is the plan, isn't it?"

"As far as I'm aware. Yes."

"Then I'll do it." Elsa told her, nodding. "I'll get strong enough. I just want to put that woman in her place. Nothing else. Just her."

Rip chuckled, studying Elsa with intrigue before nodding.

"Ah, very good then!" she said. "We'll get started soon!"

Elsa was led away by the taller woman, who circled her arm with her own lanky one. "I'll show you how sharpshooting is done right. We can bond like girls! What do you say?"

"I say..." Elsa began. She smiled weakly and held up a single fist. "Take me to the moon."

"That's it!" Rip exclaimed, laughing with delight. "That's the spirit!"

O

The Major and Doctor were discussing something when Rip and the rest of the Werewolves - with the exception of the Captain - entered the main chamber. The Major smiled up at Rip.

"Ah! How is Elsa progressing with her training?" he asked.

"Hm. Quite well. Not much complaining out of her." Rip said. "She has taken to my musket easily. A few practice shots and she's shooting like a pro! All she needed was a sweet, tender touch."

Jan coughed out the word "homo" and Rip gave him a sweet grin.

"Jealous?" she teased.

"Fuck you."

"No talking like that in the Major's presence!" the Doctor snapped at him.

"Now, now, Doctor." the Major held up a hand and laughed. "They're all excited about our newest toy. I truly am as well. Imagine what a mass of her rodents could do in battle!"

He turned to the Captain now. "Elsa should have a room to herself. No need to treat our guest with such a cold, terrible little dungeon cell."

The Captain nodded his head and turned to go, but Zorin stepped up.

"I'll show her to her room," she said.

The Major's eyes narrowed a little, but he grinned. "Very well. Since you've taken personal interest in Elsa Bauer, you may show her."

She turned and walked away.

"Well, Rip Van Winkle?" the Doctor said, "What else do you have to report?"

"Well..." Rip began, shrugging and leaning on her musket. "She's got a bit of spunk in her. It's just going to take the right motivation to get it out. AND she has it in for Zorin. Quite badly, I might add. She wants to beat her at her own game. That would be such fun to witness!"

"Well, we can't have fighting among the forces," the Major told her. "If Elsa wants to become stronger, she will have to learn to get along with all of us."

"Yes, sir. I'll be sure to let her know that."

"Good." the Major replied.

While they discussed Elsa's future with Millennium, Zorin walked to Elsa's cell and opened it, finding the woman talking to a rat at her window.

"Four children, you say?" Elsa said, smiling. "Good...New ones?...Ah, I see...Good luck with your new family...Your name?...I'll call you Hans...You look like a Hans."

Zorin rolled her eyes.

"Elsa." she snapped.

The rat hurried off and Elsa turned, frowning at the woman. "What?" she asked.

"You're getting a new room," Zorin said, "Follow me."

Elsa looked a little confused, but followed her after a moment's hesitation. Zorin said nothing until they stopped at a steel door. It roared open and Zorin flicked her head in its direction.

"Go on." she ordered.

Elsa sighed impatiently and stepped into the room.

It was quite drab with very little but a bed and bathroom. But it was better than sleeping on the cold floor in a prison cell. So she was content with what she had.

"Personally, I would have just let you rot in that little cell," Zorin sneered. "But no matter. The Major decides what's best."

Elsa glared at her.

"I've been broken many times in the past," she told the other woman. "You won't win."

Zorin chuckled and got in her personal space now. Elsa instinctively took a step back. Zorin's eyes narrowed and a grin touched her lips.

"I always win, Liebchen. One way or another."

With that, she turned and walked away.

O

"Elsa, dear. You sing."

"Yes, sir."

Elsa was standing in the Major's dining hall that evening, watching him eat a steak, some potatoes and drink from a small cup.

"Sing me a song," the Major said, smiling. "Something with a bit of a bounce to it!"

Elsa stood there, considering a song.

Then, she began to sing a song called: "Sunday Bloody Sunday". She had originally intended to perform it a few weeks later, but...

The Major just listened intently while he ate.

When Elsa was finished, she looked to him for approval and he clapped his hands.

"Ah, bravo, Elsa!" he said.

She smiled a little.

"Your talents are being wasted among the sheep of this world," the Major continued, "There are other songs you can sing for them. A song of war and death."

"I don't want war."

"Wrong. We ALL want war." the Major argued. "In each and every one of us...there is always a war. The fight to do good? The fight to do evil? It never ends. There is always war, Elsa. Always. Why...there is a war within you as well. I can see it."

Elsa considered his words.

Was there really?

The Doctor entered the room to take the Major's plates.

"You have done well in your training, Elsa." he said. "Even in these short days that you have been with us, I have noticed improvement. A fine change. You could have left at any time, but you remain. I hear you have a bit of a score to settle with Zorin."

Elsa flinched a little.

"My dear, I understand your anger," the Major continued, "But there will be no fighting among our own. There are other ways to ensure victory than brute force. I trust your orders are clear?"

Elsa lowered her eyes. "They are."

"You are free to go." the Major said as he waved her off.

As she left, the Major spent a moment to study her file.

He chuckled softly.

"Elsa Von Bauer..." he pondered. "Will she serve her purpose? We shall see."


	3. III

~O~

**III**

The bruises would heal.

Well, that was what Rip told her as she bathed in the shower room. Elsa was a little timid about bathing with the other woman. Especially since Rip was a vampire. But she had surprised her otherwise as Elsa had not expected to see her. Plus, only the high-ranking members of Millennium had their own shower rooms. Rip was certainly high-ranking, but she didn't see a reason to shy away.

Rip leaned to one side and grinned.

"Elsa, you have a tattoo!" she cried.

Elsa covered her left arm with a yelp. "Don't look at it!"

"Why? I want to see!"

Elsa groaned in annoyance when Rip pulled at her arm, so she relented and removed her hand so that the vampire could see. It looked like a Nordic rune.

"What's it mean?"

"None of your business."

Rip scoffed, but still looked amused. "Oh my. Jan was right. You HAVE gotten base in your voice." she laughed. "I'm proud you're growing up."

Elsa murmured with annoyance.

"When did you get this?" Rip asked, "Have you been holding out on me, dear?"

"No." Elsa sighed, impatiently. "It was just a dumb phase I went through when I was fifteen. It was also the same time I was arrested."

"For what?"

Elsa gave her a weary smile. "Public drunkenness."

"Ooh, you're so horrible, Elsa!" Rip teased.

"Ja, I know. It was for something stupid too."

Rip shrugged her shoulders.

"The tattoo was done while I was in the circus. A girl with the stage name The Decorated Cat. She was from Norway." Elsa said, scrubbing her hair. "She was the only one in the circus who treated me kindly. I suppose one of the only friends I had. Ironic given our stage names. Rat? Cat?"

"Hmm..." Rip murmured.

Elsa smiled a little and glanced down. "She was sweet. Hardly deserving of the abuse that the leader fed us. Sometimes she would sneak in some alcohol for me to help me relax before the show."

"So...she was your girlfriend."

Elsa frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Elsa, you're a Lesbe. It's obvious." Rip washed her arm.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"You don't know anything."

Rip chuckled. "I know more than you, my dear." she said. "Me? It's all the same. Men. Women. Both. Whatever you want to call it. Sex is sex."

Elsa flushed, even more than what the hot water offered.

"Can we stop talking about this, please?"

Rip arched an eyebrow at her. "Still in the closet then. Ah, no matter," she said, "You like girls. I'm not in any place to judge, sweetie. I like it all, myself."

Elsa groaned, covering her face with two hands.

"This is so embarrassing..." she groaned.

Rip smiled at her. "Don't be so shy, Elsa!" She grinned happily and embraced the other naked woman. "We're friends now. I was simply curious."

Elsa yelped and retreated from her. "No, wait. Stop... Stop hugging me!"

Rip looked confused when Elsa jumped from her as if she'd been burned. "Oh dear. Don't like to be touched, do we?" she said, "How silly!"

Elsa sighed. "It's not silly."

"It is, my dear." Rip laughed. "We're all friends here! Maybe you can hug Zorin? The nice long hug among ladies. It could help."

Elsa glared at her now. "That's not funny."

"Ja. It's pretty funny."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

They continued yelling it back and forth until Rip covered her ears with two hands, repeating, "La-la-la" over and over again to block out Elsa's words.

"Rip, please, will you listen, I - Ack! No! Stop that!"

Rip began to playfully tickle her and the two women fell out of the shower room, right when several soldiers chose to walk down the corridors. Elsa groaned, wanting to hide herself in a throng of rats. But Rip cheerfully waved at them, choosing to lean on Elsa's back.

"Good morning, soldiers!" she greeted. "Just a little playtime! Nothing serious!"

Elsa groaned in her arms, which was muffled.

O

Another training session.

But this one was with the Captain.

She grunted when he tossed her into the floor. He had his knee pressed into her neck and Elsa groaned, slapping at his leg. He stood up and offered his hand to help her up.

"I'll never get this." she snapped, "I'll never be stronger than that terrible woman."

The Captain tilted his head at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Elsa griped, "You know it's true. I'll be trapped here for the rest of my life. I should accept my weakness and be done with it."

The Captain's eyes narrowed.

"May I please be excused?" Elsa asked. "Just for some exercise?"

The Captain stared at her before he took one step aside, allowing her to pass.

Elsa found that her walking wasn't as weak as it had once been. It allowed her the chance to use a treadmill they had in a makeshift gymnasium. She had heard from Rip that some liked to come here to just relax and stretch their muscles a little bit.

She tried to ignore Zorin, who was laying on a bench to lift some weight.

Zorin caught sight of her at the corner of her eye, but she immediately returned her attention to her own task. She took a deep inhale and lifted the weights a few times. Luke was spotting her - despite his hesitation.

Elsa jogged on the treadmill, her headphones over her ears. She was playing a song entitled "Anarchy in the UK" by Sex Pistols. Some of the louder, much more heavy music served to help keep unwanted thoughts at bay. Elsa didn't mind such music. Or any, if she was being truthful.

A rat crawled onto the machine and watched her. She smiled down at the animal and gave its head a tiny scratch.

Zorin glanced over at her once she set the weights down. Elsa didn't seem the slightest bit interested in even looking in her direction.

Zorin squinted at her.

Luke watched Zorin warily as she sat up. She seemed to be thinking about something and was catching her breath before she looked back at Luke.

"More." Zorin ordered.

Luke sighed and retrieved a few weights before fitting them on each end of the bench. Zorin inhaled sharply and leaned back again.

"Are you sure about that, Zorin? That's a lot of weight." Luke said. "Even for a vampire."

"More, dammit!"

"Okay. Uh...there is no more."

Zorin considered this before she frowned at him. "How much do you weigh?"

Luke realized what she asked and groaned. "You can't be serious."

Zorin glanced down at the weights and then to him before he rolled his eyes. "Hold on." He looked over the sight and called for his brother. "Jan. Come here a minute."

Jan let out a yawn and walked over to them. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Just...hold onto the weight there...I'll hold onto the other." Luke said, gesturing to the weights on each side of Zorin.

"Are you fucking serious?" Jan laughed.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Just do it."

"Sure. Whatever."

Jan climbed onto one weight and Luke the other. Jan laughed a little down at Zorin.

"You got us, butch queen?" he joked.

Zorin took a deep inhale and began lifting them up and down. She snarled with effort the entire time. Elsa watched the sight from her treadmill, eyes wide.

Well, that certainly was not what she expected. Those flexing muscles as Zorin pumped the weight almost had her drooling like an idiot.

She quickly averted her eyes before the vampire could catch her staring.

Zorin looked over to see if Elsa was watching, but she wasn't. That actually annoyed her a little and she pursed her lips, snarling as she continued lifting the weights, but with renewed effort.

"You know, bro. I bet we should get paid for this kind of shit." Jan quipped.

"Jan, shut up." Luke snapped.

"Oh, like you wanna be carpet-muncher's left weight?"

"Are you four?" Luke snapped, giving him a bored look.

Elsa glanced up briefly to watch the sight again. Unfortunately, she was so entranced by it, she ended up falling from the treadmill and onto the floor with an embarrassing crash and German curse.

The sound captured the attention of others, including Rip who had been doing some stretches. She looked back with a curious murmur as Elsa struggled back onto her feet.

"Elsa. Are you all right?" Rip queried, moving to help the other woman.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." Elsa stammered, embarrassed.

Zorin sat up and frowned at the sight of the woman rushing off. "What's her problem?" she muttered.

"Got me." Jan quipped. "Girl's fucking weird as shit."

Zorin shrugged and stood up, wiping the sweat from her brow. She grabbed a towel and made her way to the shower room.

O

Elsa was so embarrassed.

What had come over her?

"Are you all right?" Rip asked. "Have a little airhead moment?"

Elsa grimaced, her face flushed. "I'm fine."

"Let's see." Rip studied Elsa's face, despite the impatience from the other woman. "Ah. No blood. No bruising. Well, more than usual."

Elsa grunted weakly. "I think I'm going to be sick. I need to go."

Rip murmured cluelessly and turned, noticing Zorin exiting the shower room, wiping her hair with a towel. She watched Elsa rush off before frowning at Rip.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Oh. Nothing."

Zorin frowned at her. "Don't lie to me, Winkle."

"No lie. Really."

Zorin growled, annoyed as Rip sauntered away, whistling "Das Engellandlied" to herself.

Several hours had passed and Elsa refused to leave her room. The Doctor was sent to go look for her, despite his irritation with the idea.

"Elsa. Elsa?"

The Doctor knocked on the woman's door.

"If you're not decent, make yourself such now." he warned. He waited for a good five minutes. "I'm coming in now. Just to warn you."

He opened the door and found many rats lying on top of someone. He could see a pair of boots sticking out from the pile. The Doctor sighed impatiently and folded his arms across his chest.

"Elsa, for pity's sake..." he said.

Elsa's head poked up from the rat pile. She looked a little ashamed of herself.

"Leave me alone to die..." she muttered.

"Stop with the dramatics already," the Doctor snapped. "You'll get strong enough soon. But not when you try to smother yourself in rat bodies. That is just childish."

"That's not what this is about." Elsa griped, groaning in frustration.

"Then you're being a child. Get up so we can perform more tests." the Doctor ordered. "If I have to ask a second time, it won't be very polite, I fear."

"Can't you just leave me in the privacy of my own goddamn thoughts?" Elsa protested. "Just for a moment?"

"No."

Elsa sighed and waved her hand. Her rats departed from her body and moved to a corner of the room where they ate from scraps she had left.

"Where did they all come from?" the Doctor asked, when she stood up.

"I can hear them. We're right underneath a sewer line."

"Well, that's good. This test I had planned would allow me to see just how far your psychic range can go." the Doctor said, smiling now. "Come with me."

O

The helmet she had to wear was ridiculous.

The Doctor had commanded her to reach as far as she could to summon her rodents. But her numbers and readings seemed to fluctuate. He frowned at her when they stopped and she removed the helmet.

"Your readings are not as strong as they had been the first time we ran these tests." he said. "You're distracted. It's interfering with your call to your rats."

"I know. I have too much on my mind right now."

"Unless they pertain to my research in any way, your distractions are irrelevant. Now you NEED to focus. Focus on them."

"I HAVE!" Elsa suddenly barked, frustration in her voice. "But I cannot do more when I am being dictated like this! I-I just feel strange!"

"Strange?" the Doctor frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

Elsa's face was flushed now. "Well, strange. Like...I don't know!"

The Doctor sighed, giving up on the whole matter. "Very well. We can take a break for a few hours."

"Thank you." Elsa was genuinely relieved. "Could I have a drink?"

"Are you going to try to get drunk?"

"...No."

"Then you may. But one."

Elsa smiled a little and left the laboratory. She did not see Zorin watching her with a look of intense focus on her face. She knew the woman was hiding her darkest secrets and she had every intention of finding out what they were. She wanted to dominate this girl so she had nothing left to defy her with.

Then, a grin lit her lips.

Ah, of course.

THAT could work.

Later, she found Elsa alone in the mess hall, drinking from a shot glass. There was a bottle of alcohol sitting nearby. She glanced up at the sight of Zorin and sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I have to see the Doctor in a few hours," Elsa told her, knowing Zorin would probably stir up some other form of trouble.

"Good. Then that gives us time for another test." Zorin said, setting her scythe on a counter.

Elsa groaned, rolling her eyes.

"This one will be far more personal," Zorin continued, taking a seat across from the woman.

Elsa furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Let me show you."

Elsa looked down at Zorin's markings and her eyes widened when they began to glow with purple light. The older woman held up her hand and an eye opened up in the very palm. Elsa stared at it, wriggling in Zorin's hand a few moments.

"What...?" she gasped.

Zorin smirked at her and began to move the eye closer, but Elsa attempted to scoot back from it. Zorin wasn't having that, so she grabbed Elsa's face with her hand and Elsa was immediately assaulted by the powerful magic.

She grabbed Zorin's arm, struggling to push her away, but she found herself incapable of movement as her assailant probed her very thoughts and memories.

"No..." Elsa moaned. "Stop!"

O

_Munich, Germany_

_1978_

_Elsa was walking down the street with headphones in her ears, dancing as she listened to the music. She was walking toward a campsite where the Circus Roncalli had been set up. She passed several colorful banners before arriving at her trailer._

_"Elsa!"_

_She turned and noticed Mona Gunness - The Decorated Cat - approach. Mona was almost completely covered in tattoos and her face was shaped and altered to look like a cat. She had been born with a cleft lip, which was the starting point for her image in the circus. _

_"Hi." Elsa greeted, "Hey, I have something for you in my trailer. But you have to close your eyes first."_

_Mona smirked at her knowingly. "I told you not to get me anything for my birthday this year, Elsa." she said, her Norwegian accent thick when she spoke. _

_"I wanted to. Now close your eyes."_

_Mona smiled and shut her eyes as Elsa led her into her trailer. A few rats were scurrying about on the countertops and the shelves. She guided the other woman onto the edge of a bed and shuffled about for in the trailer before placing something in Mona's lap._

_"Okay, open them." Elsa said. _

_Mona did and looked down at the item in her lap; a wrapped, colorful blue dress. Her eyes widened in disbelief and joy and she grinned up at Elsa._

_"You didn't." she said._

_"Ja. I did." Elsa replied, chuckling. "Saved all my earnings for it."_

_Mona couldn't believe it._

_"When did you get it?" she asked._

_Elsa smiled. "When we went into town and you were looking at those rabbits."_

_Mona couldn't help but laugh a bit. "That explains why you were holding your coat so tightly..." she mumbled, almost at tears. The gesture was touching and she couldn't believe Elsa went to such lengths for something so expensive. __"Kjærlighet..." _

_Elsa sat down beside her, smiling and putting her arms around the other woman. "Jeg elsker deg..." she responded, in Norwegian - for Mona. Then, she gave Mona a kiss on her cheek. "You're beautiful, Mona. Always. Plus, blue is more your color, I think."_

_"No one wants to see a freak in this."_

_"Fick to everyone else. You're beautiful and I won't hear another word about it. Anyone else who says otherwise can Verpiss dich."_

_Mona wiped her eyes and smiled weakly at her. "Thank you."_

_"You're welcome."_

_They sat in silence for a moment while Elsa held Mona in her arms. She studied Mona's expressions; the woman was obviously thinking about something and she knotted her brow._

_"What's wrong?" Elsa asked._

_"Elsa, I..."_

_There was a knock at Elsa's trailer door. "Elsa! Showtime!"_

_Elsa stood up and took a few stretches. "Ah, we can talk after the show," she said, "Is that okay with you?"_

_Mona looked a little distracted before answering. "Oh! Oh, of course. That would be fine."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yes! The show is important. Let's not disappoint them."_

Zorin smirked at Elsa's lack of struggle. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she no longer tugged at the arm holding her under the spell.

"Deeper..." Zorin hissed. "Let's do deeper."

_An image of Elsa laughing with Mona. _

_Another glass shard that carried a memory of Elsa receiving her tattoo. _

_"It means body." Mona told her, smiling. "And I have one here on my opposite arm. Know what it means? Some. So when we're together, we're somebody."_

_Elsa smiled happily. "That's sweet, Mona. I love it."_

_Mona kissed the top of her head._

"I want more pain..." Zorin whispered, "Give me more, Elsa."

_A barrier was set up. _

_A collection of rat faces in Zorin's path of vision._

_A few walls made up of rat bodies._

"Put up as many barriers as you like, Liebchen. It won't matter." Zorin sneered. "I always win. One way or another."

While the attempt was admirable, it did indeed prove useless as Zorin's mental power ripped through them without difficulty. She felt Elsa's anguish and pleas through their joined minds, but it made no difference to her. She was intent to find out Elsa's deepest secrets.

There was a memory that came to her. A dark mass pulsating; it was germinating within her brain like a virus. Ah. That was the true source of her pain. Zorin reached for it.

_Munich, Germany_

_1980_

_"Mona?" Elsa called, wandering the darkness of the circus grounds. _

_A tent sheet was parted and Mona stepped out. Elsa smiled, approaching her, but Mona seemed intent on walking away from her. Confused, Elsa stopped her._

_"Mona. Hey, where are you going?" she asked._

_"Elsa, I need to get some sleep." Mona said, hiding her face. _

_Elsa frowned. "Mona, I thought we..."_

_She trailed off and noticed bruises on Mona's arms. Her features clouded at first, but then became terrified as she immediately took Mona's chin into one hand, forcing it up into the lights of the circus wires. Mona squeezed her eyes shut with a despairing murmur and seemed intent on hiding something from Elsa, but she saw it._

_Bruises. _

_Even with all the tattoos, they were obvious, especially on Mona's lip. And they looked fresh._

_"Mona. Who did this?" Elsa asked, her voice carrying only the faintest trace of fear._

_"Elsa, I wanted to tell you..."_

_"Mona!" Elsa barked now, so sharply it startled the other woman._

_Mona wavered a bit before she looked away, tears filling her eyes. Elsa stared at her with desperation until it suddenly hit her. She had known. She had known all along. Mona coming to her trailer with fresh bruises. Blood on her hands and legs... Elsa didn't want to see it, but she knew. Oh God. It had been happening right under her nose..._

_"Maybe I shouldn't have joined the circus after all..." Mona whispered. "Elsa, please, say something."_

_Elsa swallowed thickly, her voice shaking when she spoke next. "No..." She didn't realize how silent she had been this whole time. Everything spun and her whole world was red. She didn't even realize the thick, wet choking sounds that burst from her. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't feel anything but the overwhelming rage choking her. _

_"Mona, wait in my trailer." _

_"Elsa, please, don't..." Mona begged._

_Rats were swarming onto the circus grounds now in droves. Mona watched them in horror as Elsa walked toward the ringleader's tent with her horde of rats. _

_He was drinking with a few of the other members of their trope when Elsa stepped inside. The ringleader turned to her, smiling with that disgusting, fat smile of his. Just knowing what he had done... Just knowing he had been the one to do unspeakable things to Mona..._

_"Elsa, care to join us?" he said. _

_He seemed nervous._

_Good._

_"Eat..." Elsa whispered._

_"What's that?" the ringleader asked._

_"Eat." Elsa commanded now, raising her arm. _

_All around the tent, the rats circled, their beady eyes almost glowing in the poor light. The ringleader and the others stood, watching them warily._

_"Elsa, what are you doing?" the ringleader demanded._

_"EAT!" Elsa screamed now. _

_The rats rushed forward in an unholy chorus of screeches. They swarmed over the members of the circus trope, tearing into their flesh. Elsa stood there, savage with fury._

_"EAT, EAT, EAT!" she continued to scream._

_The rats consumed the flesh and bone of the screaming circus workers._

_When it was all over and the rats finished, Elsa was standing among nothing more but half-tattered clothing and flesh. Elsa stood there as Mona entered the tent. _

_"Oh my God..." Mona whispered. "Elsa, what have you done?"_

_She turned to the other girl, eyes widening at the mad grin on Elsa's face. It frightened her and she shook Elsa's shoulders desperately._

_"Elsa! Elsa, look at me!" she begged, "Snap out of it! Please!"_

_Elsa's grin was still there for a few moments before she blinked and looked at Mona in horror. She looked beyond her and noticed the remnants of her fellow circus members and stepped back, realizing completely what she had done. There were a few rats who still lingered, gnawing away on the remains._

_"Elsa..." Mona began. _

_The sound of sirens filled the air and they looked behind them. _

_"They're coming," Mona said, "Elsa, you need to go."_

_"What?" Elsa looked horrified. "Mona - "_

_Mona looked beyond her frantically. "Go, Elsa!" she ordered. "Get out of here now!"_

_Elsa didn't move. She looked hurt and confused. _

_"I'll stay." Mona told her, gently._

_"What?! No, you're coming with me!"_

_"Elsa, if we both go, we'll be hunted and you know it." Mona said, "You've more talent than I do. It's better for me to be the one than you. I'll take the fall."_

_Elsa was almost at tears. "Mona, I can't!"_

_"You can. You'll be okay."_

_Elsa put her arms around her tightly and Mona returned the embrace. Elsa almost refused to let her go until the sound of sirens grew louder. Mona pushed her away and gestured frantically._

_"Go! Hurry!"_

_And with much further hesitation, Elsa finally turned and ran. _

O

Elsa let out a soft moan when Zorin finally released her.

Zorin had fully expected Elsa to start weeping, but instead, the woman looked away, eyes wide and frozen as if she was paralyzed.

"I ran away..." Elsa whispered, "I left her to her death."

She took a drink from the bottle, her hands shaking.

_Elsa was walking down the streets of Berlin, carrying a bottle in her hands. She took a drink and glared across the way to two lovers._

"I found out later when it happened. Mona had been killed in the prison they took her to. There wasn't much love for murderous freaks, you understand."

_Elsa took a newspaper into her hands and read a small article about Mona's death. Her hands shook and she let out a wail of rage and anguish, kicking a garbage can. She smashed her bottle of alcohol and began tearing apart at anything she could get her hands on._

"I saw no answer to the pain. So I looked for a way out. Call it what you wish. But they wouldn't let me."

Zorin tilted her head with interest. "The rats?"

Elsa simply nodded.

"No one heard me. No one would see my pain or understand it. So the rats gave me an idea."

_Elsa was performing on stage in front of an enormous crowd of people. They cheered and applauded for her and she smiled, content with their delight in her._

"I made them listen to me. I made them look and see what I was. While I was on that stage, I was God. They HAD to pay attention then."

_Elsa smiled and waved._

"But I suppose the pain was never too far away. I knew what I had done. What haunted me. I never meant for it to go as far as it did."

"You regret killing him then?"

"No!" Elsa glared up at Zorin, who was smirking at the conflict she caused. "No. He was a pig. He got what he deserved. I am haunted by the fact that my actions - being unable to control my emotions - led to her death. As well as the deaths of the other members of the circus. As far as I knew, they did nothing to deserve that fate."

So whatever you want to say, you say it now. Call me what you want, it won't make a difference." Elsa took another drink. Her face was flushed a little - she had been slowly falling victim to the influence of alcohol. "Go on. Say what's on your mind. You win this test again, right? I'm all ears."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "You're so pathetic."

"Tell me something I don't already know."

Elsa let out a little belch and stared down at the bottle. "Oh this stuff tastes like gasoline." she muttered. "But it does the job, I suppose."

"No, you're worse than pathetic," Zorin sneered, "Your soul is obviously so tainted by guilt and disease that nothing can ever drag it out of the hole you've made. Now you're drowning your sorrows in alcohol. It's so predictable, it breaks my undead heart."

Elsa laughed a little, not phased in the slightest. "Is that all you have? Come on, you can do better."

Zorin smirked at her, tilting her head. "You're a sad, pitiful waste of human flesh and your mother should have swallowed you."

Elsa let out a guffaw of laughter. "Never heard THAT one before!"

Zorin made a small, amused sound, staring at her strangely.

"Come on! Give me another!" Elsa beckoned with two hands.

"As a baby, I'm certain everyone in the hospital took one look at you and probably considered mass suicide."

Elsa sputtered with laughter, she nearly choked on her alcohol.

"If I were to punch you in the face, it would be considered animal abuse."

Elsa laughed hysterically, covering her eyes with one hand.

And that was how the hours went. Zorin insulting her with colorful and creative commentary while Elsa laughed the entire time. To the Nazi woman, it was just fucking weird. But Elsa was amused and laughing like it was a game. Maybe it was.

To her, anyway.

By the end of it, Elsa was heavily intoxicated. She held the bottle's neck up to her eye and peered into it. But all of the alcohol was gone.

"Oops, I drank it all..." she slurred.

"I can see that, you fucking lush." Zorin muttered, shaking her head. "Now give me the bottle."

Elsa groaned, shaking her head. "No, mine."

"Stop being stupid. It's empty."

She took it from Elsa and the woman dropped her head on the table. "I just had a thought." she said, blinking slowly. "The Doctor's going to be pissed because I'm drunk."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "He'll be pissed, but he'll get over it."

She stood up and grabbed the younger woman, throwing her over her shoulder. Elsa laughed a little and swayed her head against Zorin's back.

"If you throw up on me, I'm cutting your head off." Zorin warned.

"Ooh, scary." Elsa slurred, giggling.

Zorin carried the woman to her room and dumped her on the bed. Elsa just giggled the entire time and Zorin rolled her eyes with disgust. Now this was just embarrassing.

"Hey, I have a secret for you," Elsa said, beckoning. "Come here."

Zorin sighed, kneeling down at Elsa, who practically hung off of the bed.

"You didn't see it in my mind. It's not a bad one." Elsa whispered, as if she was telling the most classified secret in the world. She leaned on Zorin's shoulder a bit. "I like alcohol."

Zorin arched an eyebrow. "I don't think that's a secret."

"No. I was afraid to tell you my real secret."

Zorin sighed impatiently. "You know I can find out, right?"

"I know. I know." Elsa sloppily waved her hand in Zorin's face. "Okay. I'll tell you."

Zorin glared at her expectantly. "Well?"

Elsa began to play with her hair. "You know that woman in Millennium with the muscles? And the tattoos?" she slurred, "With the orange hair?"

Zorin stared at her strangely. "Yeah?"

Elsa grinned and leaned forward. "I think she's very pretty."

Zorin's eye widened a little and she regarded Elsa with surprise. The human grinned and put a finger to Zorin's lips, sloppily moving it a bit.

"But don't tell Zorin." she giggled. "It's a secret."

Zorin leaned back, still staring at her when Elsa passed out, hanging from her bed like a coat. She started snoring a little and even drooled.

"Are you stupid or something?" Zorin snapped, glaring down at the human.

But really, what did she expect? Elsa was drunk. It only made sense for her to say those things.

She couldn't REALLY have thought that.


	4. IV

~O~

**IV**

"Did we learn anything from this?"

Elsa was in the most agony as she held a bag of ice to her head, listening to the Doctor's words. She rolled her eyes with a groan.

"Yes." she said.

"I told you not to drink so much." the Doctor snapped. "And what did you do?"

"Drank so much." Elsa answered.

The Doctor nodded his head angrily. "That's right. Since you've decided to disobey me. I'm taking your headphones away for a week." he snapped.

"But it was an accident!" Elsa insisted.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "An accident."

"Yes. Well...rather stupid, really." Elsa admitted, embarrassed. "I don't usually get this drunk unless I'm having...well, personal problems."

"Then I'm surprised you're not drunk all the time."

"Noo." Elsa said, annoyed by the joke. "I meant that I haven't been this hungover since...well... I suppose I'd rather not talk about it."

"Whatever." the Doctor said. "Hand over your headphones."

"What? Please, don't." Elsa insisted.

"Now."

She sighed and reached into her coat, removing her headphones and handing them to him. She didn't include the disk or the player.

"All of it, Elsa." the Doctor ordered.

"Fine. But this is cruel, I hope you know that." Elsa said, annoyed.

The Doctor smiled a little and took the items from her, locking them up in a filing cabinet. Elsa mumbled with dismay and winced at the pain throbbing in her head.

"Now I want you to find Zorin." the Doctor told her. "Get started on your training."

"But I have a hangover."

"Well, that isn't my fault. You'll have to deal with it."

Elsa sighed and stepped off of the table, setting the bag of ice onto it. She found her grandfather waiting for her outside the Doctor's lab.

"Hungover?" Caspar guessed.

Elsa nodded. "It's my fault. It was stupid."

"Well, I'll get you some water. That might help."

"Grandfather, can I ask you a question?" Elsa queried, before he could go.

Caspar stopped, staring at her curiously. "Of course, child. You know I'm here for you."

The response was still something Elsa had to get used to. Besides the fact that her grandfather was a vampire, anyway. Slowly, she was becoming accustomed to Millennium and she wasn't too sure if that was a good thing yet. She was with the last remaining family she had around. So maybe that was the way it had to be. She would not go looking for her mother or father.

"Well...hm...nevermind," Elsa said, "I should look for Zorin."

Caspar smiled knowingly. "Looking for her? I thought you hated her guts."

"I do. Well...I think I do, anyway," Elsa grumbled, conflicted. "Maybe? Well, I just... I don't know. I thought you were supposed to be here for me, grandfather. Stop trying to confuse me."

Caspar laughed cheerfully. "What would I be if not a grandfather teasing every now and again?"

Elsa rolled her eyes.

O

Elsa wandered down the corridors and found the Captain passing by.

"Excuse me, sir?" she said, stopping him. "Do you know where Zorin is?"

The Captain regarded her before he pointed to a sign that read "der Zuschauerraum". Elsa smiled and nodded to him in appreciation before she entered. She found Zorin sitting alone in one of many seats, watching something on a projection screen. She was holding her scythe in one hand.

Elsa squinted curiously and made her way to Zorin's spot. She sat down beside her and Zorin glanced partially in her direction. She watched the younger woman rub her forehead and smiled knowingly.

"Hangover?" she guessed.

Elsa sighed weakly. "Yes."

"Here. Hair of the dog." Zorin offered her a bottle.

Elsa nodded and took a drink. "Thank you."

They looked up at the projection screen and Elsa was surprised to see one of her theater performances playing. It was the song "Original Sin (the Natives are Restless) performed with a vampire theme. Elsa had played a vampire queen and her fellow performers her fledglings.

"Oh! This was fun to do." she said.

"I can see." Zorin murmured, eyes focused on the screen. "You look like you really enjoy yourself on the stage. Was it hard?"

Elsa laughed a little. "The hardest part was getting into the costume." she said. "I had to wear a girdle I couldn't even breathe in. My manager insisted on historical accuracy of costume."

Zorin scoffed, amused.

"Yes. That's what I said." Elsa continued, chuckling. "I had to sing like that while struggling not to have my ribs collapse. And it was a three hour performance."

"How much did you usually make?"

"The theater provided me with room and board, but that was due to the director pulling some strings as my performances made the theater quite a bit of money." Elsa replied, "So I suppose I made enough to get me by."

"Hm."

The two were silent for a while, just watching the performance. Zorin glanced in Elsa's direction, noticing the woman still refusing to look at her.

Interesting.

"Do you remember anything about yesterday?" Zorin asked.

Elsa frowned thoughtfully. "Well, other than you getting into my head..." she said, with an edge to her voice, "Everything else sort of went fuzzy after that."

"I see."

Elsa grimaced. "Why? Did I say something embarrassing?"

Zorin made a face. "I wouldn't say embarrassing exactly..."

"So stupid?"

"Well, no more than usual, but..."

Elsa waved it off. "Well, maybe it's best that I don't know," she said, quietly. "I don't want to hurt my brain trying to think about it."

Zorin stared at her and pursed her lips before returning her stare to the projection screen. Elsa found it a little strange that they weren't arguing or Zorin wasn't using any sort of "colorful language" to sway her into another terrible fist-match with her. She glanced partially in Zorin's direction, noticing the woman seemingly in thought.

Zorin sensed her gaze and scowled. "What?" she snapped.

Elsa shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

"Uh, is there anything else we can watch?" she asked, deciding to clear the uncomfortable air between them.

"There's a cart of film right over there. Change it if you want."

Zorin indicated a cart where several cans of film rested. She tilted her head curiously and rooted through them. She pulled one up and tilted her head.

"'Best War Deaths'?" she said.

Zorin rolled her eyes. Then, she pricked up with interest. "Oh. Wait a minute." She turned in her seat and looked at Elsa. "What's the volume say?"

"Uh, it says 'Volume Eight'."

Zorin grinned. "Put that in. You're going to love this."

Elsa shrugged her shoulders and did as Zorin said. She set the film up and it played back a black and white collection of images on a battlefield in Germany during World War II. Elsa wasn't sure if she was ready to see things like this, but Zorin seemed eager to show her.

There were a few particularly violent deaths that Zorin laughed at. But Elsa simply looked sickened by them. She glanced skeptically over at Zorin, who grinned at the sight of a man trying to crawl from a street. She roughly patted Elsa's shoulder anxiously.

"Wait for it..." Zorin told her.

Elsa glanced at her with amusement.

"No, no, look before you miss it!"

The man was ultimately crushed by passing tank treads and Zorin laughed, slapping her thighs. The spray of gore made Elsa wince, but Zorin found utter delight in it.

"Ah! That's my favorite part!" she cried, cackling.

Elsa was going through the film canisters and arched an eyebrow at one in particular.

"Notarztwagen 7?" she said.

"That's the Doctors." Zorin answered, still not paying attention. "Now watch! You'll miss this one! It's funny!"

Elsa sighed and gave Zorin a look. "Maybe we can watch something else?"

"Fine. You're such a baby."

Elsa continued through the canisters of film before stopping at one. "Telematch?" she said, grinning. "That was one of my favorites!"

Zorin arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I used to love it all the time."

"Fine. Go ahead and switch it."

Elsa grinned and switched up the film canisters.

Zorin rolled her eyes and groaned as Elsa enjoyed the programmes. "How many programs are on here?"

"Forty-Three." Elsa said.

"Give me that bottle."

O

Zorin walked down the corridors, smoking a cigarette.

She found Rip and Schrodinger in the middle of a conversation and stopped them.

"You two! I have to ask you something." she snapped.

Rip and Schrodinger glanced at each other.

"Uh, okay." Rip said, "What is it?"

Zorin seemed uncomfortable for a moment. "Do you think I'm..." She cleared her throat and spoke her next words rather quietly. "...pretty?"

Rip and Schrodinger stood there, dumbfounded. Zorin stared at them, the smoke from her cigarette billowing around her features.

Suddenly, they burst out laughing hysterically. They were laughing so hard, they were almost at tears. Zorin glared at them.

The laughter continued for a long time until Rip stopped and elbowed Schrodinger.

"Oh. I think she's serious..." she told him.

Once they regained their senses, they stood there in an awkward manner.

"Well, you're...pretty something..." Schrodinger said, rubbing the back of his neck. Then, he started counting on his fingers. "Pretty terrifying. Pretty rude. Pretty violent. Pretty hideous."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "I get it."

Schrodinger blinked once. Then, grinned.

"Why the sudden interest in your appearance, Zorin?" he asked, "You've never cared before."

"Elsa said I was." Zorin said, frowning. She looked confused.

Rip grinned triumphantly. "I knew it."

"Of course, she was drunk when she did..." Zorin murmured.

The two started laughing again, this time with renewed hysterics. Zorin glared at them with a snarl; she bit down on her cigarette so hard, the end snapped off and fell to the floor.

"Forget I even asked." she snapped, turning and walking away.

Later, the Doctor called for everyone together for a group photo. Elsa found this a little strange and Rip assured her that he did this every so often for his scrapbook.

"So what do I wear?" Elsa asked.

Rip was pulling out clothes from her dresser drawers. She had invited Elsa to her room to help her look for something. It was exactly how Elsa pictured it; filled with rows of vinyls, cassettes and every manner of musical player and device she had ever laid eyes on.

Rip was digging through a closet before she looked back at Elsa, who stood there awkwardly.

"Oh! Sit wherever you like, fraulein!" she offered.

Elsa blinked and smiled weakly. "I'll stand, thank you."

Rip pulled out an old Nazi uniform and brushed off the dust before holding it up to Elsa.

"Well, it'll do until we get something else for you." she said, "Ah! You're almost my size! Wunderbar!"

Elsa frowned at Rip. "Why do we have to take this photo?"

"Ah, it's just something the Doc likes to do every year." Rip explained, rooting through her desk. "We all need our hobbies, ja?" She uttered a German curse. "Ah, now where did I put that brush? Ah, here it is."

She took Elsa's shoulders and guided her into a chair in front of a mirror.

"So..." Rip said, toying with Elsa's hair a bit. "What do you usually do with your hair, dearie?"

"More things than I know what to do with." Elsa quipped.

Rip laughed and leaned her head onto Elsa's shoulder, staring into the mirror with her. "Ah, we'll do something simple, ja? Something that really makes your face glow!"

Elsa managed a small smile. "I just hope you don't expect me to look like what I did when I performed es Miserables. No ma'am. No hideous hair for me."

"Nonsense! We'll make you look so pretty!" Rip laughed.

She began to brush Elsa's hair while humming "Das Engellandlied". She smirked at Elsa, who seemed distracted as she sat in front of the mirror.

"Hey! Let's have some girl talk!" she said. "I say a person and you tell me if you think they're pretty."

Elsa laughed a little. "Okay."

"Marilyn Monroe."

Elsa cringed and laughed. "Pretty. But a 'I have to work at it all the time' sort of pretty."

"True."

They mentioned famous women throughout the years and Rip was easily getting delighted with the game. She slowly brushed Elsa's hair and laughed when Elsa blushed at the mention of Joan of Arc.

"Rip!" she protested, giggling.

Rip laughed a little and then, tilted her head. "Well, that's all the women in history I can think of." she said, a certain ploy in her tone now. "Can you think of anyone else?"

Elsa smirked and shrugged. "Not really, no."

"You sure, Fräulein?" Rip queried, smiling knowingly. "No one at all?"

"No. Not really."

"Hmm." Rip tilted her head thoughtfully before resuming focus on Elsa's hair. "You have such pretty hair. Not long like mine, but very soft. What's your secret?"

Elsa smiled. "Well, I use conditioner and leave it in my hair for a little while."

"Really?"

"Yes. It works wonders."

"I have to consider doing that."

Elsa was quiet and a rat scurried into Rip's room, hopping onto the desk so that Elsa could pet him. Rip laughed a little at the sight of the creature.

"They come when you call all the time?" she asked.

Elsa scratched the rat's head. "Sometimes if I'm thinking a lot."

"We're friends here, dearie." Rip said, "There shouldn't be any secrets."

"I know. I'm still growing accustomed to this place. I'm not used to having many friends but my rats."

"You have one in me, Elsa!" Rip told her, laughing and hugging her.

Elsa winced, shuddering at the embrace and squirming to be free of it. Rip released her and tsked, shaking her head as she resumed brushing Elsa's hair.

"Life is...funny, isn't it?" Elsa said.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, it's hard. But it can also be so peculiar how different things can be. I wasn't special when I grew up. I wasn't even pretty. But I was the girl who could speak to the rats. Who could hear and know what they were saying. That's all I was. You see, in my life, it has always been the harmless things that were easily able to hurt the most. The simple gestures. The way they stared..."

She didn't see the smile fade from Rip's face as the vampire thought about her words.

"But then, there are things that end so horribly, you can't even imagine it. You don't want to really imagine them. But it's usually a lot easier than you think, really. You never really know anything about those sorts of things, until you're the one standing there."

It's funny. Though I was performing in the circus, there were people who looked down their noses at us. They never gave us a chance but to be the freaks they thought we were. They just assumed that all of us took the easiest path available to us. They never knew what we had seen. What we had endured. No one could imagine how difficult it was for me to wake every morning with that forced smile on my face as I took each and every punch and still managed to get back up."

But that is what we accept, I suppose. We accept the fate we feel we deserve because it's easier. It was a terrible thing to think, but it was better than believing a lie at the age of fourteen. Oh, but it wasn't so terrible. I had someone to share that with. Someone who was that cool stream in a dry, barren desert. I could dream when I was with her. I could imagine myself among the stars, watching them worship me. I truly believed those things and it made me happy. Well, I suppose one wish came true."

Rip seemed to think about this and had stopped brushing Elsa's hair. Then, she shook her head and smiled, patting the other woman's back.

"Well now, enough of this depressing talk." she said, "Today is the day to live, not yesterday! Now let's get you dressed up nice!"

O

"Can someone please tell me why I'm wearing this stupid thing?"

Zorin grumbled to fix a tie around her neck. She wasn't thoroughly happy with the fact that she had to wear a stupid suit for a stupid picture at the request of the Doctor. Some of the others had to do the same. And she was damned if she wore a stupid dress.

"Zorin!" Rip sang, waving.

"What?" Zorin snapped, still struggling with the tie. She wasn't paying attention.

"Look at Elsa!" Rip said, gesturing to the other woman.

Zorin glanced partially toward Elsa, who was wearing a neat, clean suit. Her hair was combed nicely and it looked like one of Rip's old uniforms.

"Ah, she had to share one of mine," Rip said, "But I didn't mind. Really."

Elsa waved a little before grimacing at Rip. "It's a little snug around the chest."

"You're bigger than I am, after all."

Luke covered Schrodinger's ears with two hands.

"Doesn't she look so pretty?" Rip tugged playfully at Elsa's cheek and the woman swatted her hand away.

Zorin grunted, not even looking in Elsa's direction; she was too frustrated with her own attire. "She looks fine. Just - Goddamn this stupid, fucking tie!"

Elsa approached her. "Uhm, if I may. I can help."

Zorin sighed impatiently and turned, straightening so that Elsa could take the tie and fix it. She glanced around and noticed a few amused stares from the others.

"I hate this stupid monkey-suit, bro." Jan complained. "I don't know how you do it."

Luke rolled his eyes with dismay. "Some of us have class."

"I got class." Jan argued, scratching his balls.

"Obviously. Now stop scratching your balls. It's disgusting."

Elsa kept her eyes lowered from Zorin, almost entirely too shy to even look up at her. Zorin rolled her eyes and glanced away.

"I hate wearing this. It's pointless." she muttered. "I hated it in 1940 and I hate it now."

"You look nice, though." Elsa commented, smiling a little.

Zorin snorted at that.

"There..." Elsa said, finishing the tie. "Good."

Zorin wriggled her finger in the collar a bit. She started to walk away, and called back a "thanks" to Elsa, who seemed to smile at it. She didn't notice Rip's grin at first.

"Aww, thats so precious!" Rip gushed.

Elsa blushed. "Let's just go, please."

The group gathered in the auditorium and the Doctor struggled to get everyone lined up. The Major stood in the front and the Captain glanced at the Doctor questionable.

"Ah, Elsa. Stand there. Yes. Right next to Zorin." the Doctor ordered.

Elsa made a wary sound when the Doctor picked her up with two hands on her shoulders and stood her beside the vampire woman. Zorin didn't even glance down at her.

"Here? Oh. Okay..." Elsa stammered.

"Captain. Beside Elsa."

Elsa glanced up nervously at the Captain, who glanced ahead and hardly moved. Elsa realized that she was standing among the best of the Last Battalion. It shocked her. She had done nothing to deserve that sort of position.

"All right then. Everyone ready?" the Doctor asked, standing behind a camera. "I want to see smiles this time. You're vampires, not Ghouls. Oh, sorry about that, Captain. I meant MOST of you are vampires. Valentine! No middle finger. Don't think I'm not watching."

Jan mocked him by making his hand like a talking mouth.

"All right. Smile then." the Doctor announced. "Uh, Elsa? Why are you not smiling?"

Elsa stared at him, uncomfortable.

"What's the matter?" the Doctor asked.

He approached her and she looked around warily, painfully aware of the eyes on her now.

"I don't know that I should be standing here with them." Elsa said, quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

Jan groaned. "Elsa, shut the hell up. Let's just get the damn picture over with." he snapped. "My balls are chaffing in this fucking thing."

"Now there's no need to be rude, Jan Valentine," the Doctor chided, glaring up at him. He smiled at Elsa. "My dear. Don't worry. You're here because the Major wants you here. Now be a good girl and just smile for me. Please? It must be perfect."

Zorin frowned down at Elsa and gave her a rough pat on her shoulder. "Come on. Don't be such a baby."

Elsa cringed a little.

"Zorin, be nice to this one." the Doctor sighed.

"I don't do nice."

"Okay. I will." Elsa replied, a little comfortable with that now.

"Good. Now smile everyone!" the Doctor announced. "Jan Valentine, I said no fingers!"

Jan quickly held his arm behind his back, cackling.

The picture was taken.

"Ah, wait. Fuck, I think I blinked." Jan said.

Everyone groaned at him.

O

"I think she's trying to mess with me."

Rip laughed at Zorin's assessment as they watched Elsa in training with Caspar. Elsa was stumbling a little over the obstacle course Caspar and the other vampire SS soldiers had made. She was receiving dozens of shouts and "encouragements" from them.

"Then ask her." Rip suggested.

Zorin gave her a look.

"Elsa! Climb that rope before I hang you with it!" a soldier suddenly shouted.

Elsa struggled to climb the rope, but she ended up falling flat into the mud below. Rip let out a guffaw and arched an eyebrow at Zorin.

"Oh yes, Zorin. It's a conspiracy." she teased. "This girl can't even get over a six foot wall, much less plot anything against anyone. She's like a little three-legged puppy. Overall useless, but somehow still serving a purpose."

Zorin made an annoyed sound and wandered over to the sight. Elsa climbed to her feet, soaked in mud and looked awfully embarrassed.

"I can't do this. I'm a woman." she snapped.

Zorin snorted. "And what am I, a table?"

"No!" Elsa growled, frustrated by the laughter around them. "I meant you are an athletic woman. A strong...physically superior woman. I'm the sort who dances on stages and vaults over wires. My physical strength is equivalent to a boned fish!"

Zorin rolled her eyes. "You're such a baby. Now climb that wall again, Liebchen. I'll give you a proper incentive this time."

Elsa frowned suspiciously and took the rope. "What sort of incent - Oh no."

Zorin held up her scythe and Elsa let out a frightened yelp and began scaling the wall with renewed speed. She even rushed through the obstacle course with ease this time. Zorin watched the sight with a small, amused laugh. Elsa made her way back over to her, breathless and annoyed.

Some of her rats even lingered and chittered a bit. Elsa glared at them.

"Who asked you, giggles?" she snapped.

"Wow. I've never seen anyone run that fast through an obstacle course before." Zorin laughed.

"That...wasn't funny." Elsa griped.

Zorin was grinning. "It was a little."

"You're crazy."

"Yeah? What's your excuse?"

"I have plenty. Just let me cough up my lung first and I'll use some efficiently."

Zorin stared at her strangely, shaking her head.

The two were silent for a little while. They stood there almost awkwardly. Elsa made a few popping sounds with her lips and Zorin offered her a towel. Elsa took it and began to wipe the mud from her arm.

"I should ask you something," Zorin finally said. She held her scythe over her shoulders now.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, trying to clean the mud off of her face. She wiggled a finger in her ear to remove some mud residue.

"Well, I think that - " Zorin began.

"Elsa!"

The younger woman looked up when her grandfather made his way toward them. He quickly saluted Zorin before smiling brightly at Elsa.

"The Major has called for your presence!" he said.

Elsa looked concerned.

"Why?" she asked.

"Quickly! It's going to be good, I promise!" Caspar insisted, taking her arm.

Elsa looked back at Zorin. "I should go."

The two rushed off, leaving the older vampire standing there, annoyed.

"Yeah, sure." Zorin said, to herself. "Why not...?"

She followed them.


	5. V

_Note _\- Torture warning.

~O~

**V**

Elsa stood there before the Major's chair, deeply troubled.

Around her, vampires had gathered upon the Major's command as well as the group of Werewolves. The Doctor seemed ultimately pleased as well, but no one had told her what the reason was that she had been called to see the Major. Surely it had to be good. No one seemed at all disappointed about what was going to be said.

"Elsa..." the Major turned in his seat, facing the woman.

Elsa stood at attention, just as Zorin entered the great chamber.

"It seems we have one final test for you," the Major said, leaning on his hands. "You understand that there comes a time in everyone's life when loose ends must be cut, correct?"

Elsa nodded, though she was confused. "I do."

"Good. You should be made aware that we have supporters in Brazil. Those who have offered their aid to us," the Major continued. He gestured to the great chamber. "Those who have supplied us with all that we need to fund our glorious thousand year war."

Elsa couldn't help but glance around at his gestures.

"Alas, their usefulness has come to an end," the Major said, shaking his head with mock sadness, "We must purge what remains of their assistance at any cost. But we must do so quietly. No one is to know of our glorious return just yet, do you understand?"

Elsa still looked confused. "I'm...sorry. I'm not quite sure I follow."

"Doctor?" the Major said, glancing at his subordinate.

The Doctor smiled and gestured to the computer monitors above them. On the screens, images of a Brazilian village appeared, as well as detailed schematics of a mountainous region. Another image of a fort appeared as well as information regarding its inhabitants.

"This fort is where we originally rebuilt this flourishing organization, Elsa," the Doctor sought to explain, "But their usefulness has run its course, as the Major has said. Your first mission and final proof of loyalty will define you here. You will infiltrate this fort and destroy everything you can touch."

Elsa's eyes widened and Zorin scowled, stepping forward.

"No offense, but sending Elsa in there on her own is like sending a baby in the woods," Zorin snapped, "I don't think she has what it takes."

"I'll do it." Elsa said, after briefly giving Zorin a glare.

The Doctor looked surprised. "Really? Well..." he murmured, "I expected a bit of complaint, to be honest. I'll have some work to do."

Zorin frowned at the Major. "This stupid girl is going to get herself killed!" she insisted, "There's no way she'll make it out in one piece."

"Which is why you're going with her." the Major said.

Zorin's eyes widened a little. Elsa looked surprised.

They glanced briefly at each other.

"I see, sir." Zorin acknowledged.

The Doctor smiled at Elsa and Zorin.

"Elsa Bauer and Zorin Blitz..." he mused.

The two women nodded in response; Elsa smiled sheepishly and Zorin merely smirked a little.

"Working together." the Doctor added. "The Spellcaster and the Rat Wrangler. It should make for a very interesting observational experiment."

"Forgive me if I don't melt into a puddle of joy." Zorin quipped.

The Major stood up from his seat.

"Well then!" he said, delighted. "I wish the two of you all the luck in the world!"

He saluted and they did the same.

O

The trip by plane was something of a sight for Elsa.

All that she could see were miles of mountain and jungle. Zorin had to occasionally pull her back into the plane so she wouldn't fall out.

"You're such a child." Zorin snapped.

Elsa smiled, thrilled to be making this trip. "I've never been to the jungles before!" she said. "I've traveled Norway and England, but this is something else!"

Zorin rolled her eyes.

"You'll have to jump here!" the pilot suddenly announced.

Elsa looked horrified now. "I'm sorry. Did you say JUMP?!" she exclaimed.

Zorin stood up and twirled her scythe before fixing it onto her back. She yanked Elsa to her feet and made her strap on a parachute, despite Elsa's protests. Her motions were rough, but Elsa didn't complain about that. She was actually concerned about the prospect of jumping from a plane.

"Zorin, I really don't feel comfortable jumping out of this plane, now," she stammered.

"Tough shit."

"Now's the time!" the pilot shouted, over the roar of the plane.

Elsa peered over the edge, moaning warily. Zorin rolled her eyes, waiting for her to jump.

"Elsa, fucking JUMP!" she ordered.

"I can't!"

"You jump or I'm going to make you!"

"No! Okay, I'll do it on the count of five!" Elsa closed her eyes with a frightened whimper. "One...two..."

Zorin shook her head and kicked Elsa right out of the plane. The woman screamed the entire way and Zorin jumped after her. She landed on the ground with ease and Elsa ended up falling into several trees a few yards away, entangling herself in her parachute.

"Elsa." Zorin called, looking around for her. "Elsa!"

"Up here."

Zorin looked up and found the woman horribly tangled up in her parachute, hanging upside down. Zorin chuckled and put a hand on her hip, shaking her head.

"Do something!" Elsa cried, struggling.

"I am. I'm laughing."

"Don't laugh, it's not funny." Elsa snapped.

"You look like a trapped little kitten."

"Yeah, that's so amusing." Elsa hung there, annoyed. "Now can you please get me down?"

Zorin laughed a little more. "Ah. Fine. Hold on, Liebchen."

Elsa watched as Zorin grabbed a cluster of buckles. She panicked and held out two hands. "No, no, Zorin. Wait a moment, don't pull that - "

She came loose and fell to the ground with a horrible crash and a curse. Zorin glanced down at her and grinned, laughing a little at the sight.

O

Zorin lead the way through the jungle.

Elsa tagged behind her, studying the aspects of the jungle and all they had to offer. She was impressed and starstruck that she ended up tripping a few times. She stumbled into Zorin and the older woman sighed impatiently, glaring back at her.

"If you bump into me one more FUCKING time, I'm going to tie you up and drag you through this jungle!" Zorin threatened.

"Sorry. I've just never been in a jungle before," Elsa said, smiling. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah. It's really beautiful." Zorin quipped, cutting down some vines, "Mosquitoes the size of your fist, mud in your boots and fucking vines everywhere."

"At least we're together in this."

"Ooh!" Zorin's voice became light and airy with mockery.

Elsa frowned, annoyed now. "Can I ask why you're acting this way?"

"No. Now shut up. We're thirty miles from the fort. I don't want to hear you give me any more touchy-feely bullscheisse along the way."

"I hardly call it that."

"I just need to think. Now SHUT UP."

Elsa decided not to argue and just stayed quiet.

They made their way along the Amazon river. It was quiet for the most part and there were no signs of human activity - which Elsa found a little strange. But she was eventually getting tired and decided to sit down for a bit. When Zorin realized she wasn't following, she looked over her shoulder and found Elsa sitting down.

"Hey, now don't sit down," Zorin ordered, swatting Elsa's backside with the end of her scythe. "I didn't say you could take a break. Get up."

"It's been said that Brazil is home to over 70,000 species of insects. And I'm certain they're all biting me right now," Elsa griped. "I just need to rest for a minute."

"Fine." Zorin snapped. "We can use this spot here and I'll check the perimeter."

Elsa's stomach growled, breaking the silence and she met Zorin's annoyed gaze.

"I'll be back." Zorin said, with a huff.

She stomped through the jungle, uttering several choice profanities. Elsa could even swear she heard Zorin speaking furiously about her. But it didn't matter. She was exhausted and needed to rest. Surely being a human, it was more understandable.

While she waited for Zorin to return, she decided to see if there were any rats nearby she could call to bring her something to eat. A few did come with some berries and small fruits, to which she was ultimately grateful for. She was able to eat them while sharing with her rodent comrades.

"Thank you." she told the rat who sat on her knee, "Oh, would you understand me? I'm German, so... Well, I don't know any Portuguese... Uhm...I suppose I know only one word..._Obrigado_?"

An hour later, Zorin returned, carrying something on her back.

"Hey, Zorin." Elsa said, "The local wildlife was kind enough to bring me something to snack on."

Zorin dropped what she was carrying and bent down, swatting the rats away. Elsa started to protest, but the vampire glared at her, speaking furiously through her teeth.

"What are you doing calling rats out here?" she spat. "Do you want to give us away?"

"They were nearby." Elsa said. "It's okay."

Zorin huffed furiously before dropping a tattered bag in Elsa's lap. She frowned curiously at it and opened it up. There were packs of wrapped food inside. Elsa glanced up at Zorin as the woman sat down beside her, cleaning what looked like blood from her scythe.

"Where did you find this?" Elsa asked.

"What do you care? It had food. I already ate. Now you need to eat so we can keep moving."

Elsa sighed. She could imagine what poor sod encountered Zorin and ended up as the vampire's late lunch. It was easier not to think on it. "I suppose so..."

They were quiet while Elsa ate. Zorin just chuckled a little. "Consider yourself lucky," she said, "In the war, I had to eat some nasty shit to stay alive."

"Like what?" Elsa asked, nibbling on a granola bar.

"Just try to imagine what things were like in the 40's."

Elsa made a face. "I can't."

"My point exactly."

A clap of thunder made Elsa jolt. She looked up and heavy rain began to fall. Zorin sighed and looked at Elsa, who was already getting drenched with her.

"Well...a little rain never hurt anyone," Elsa said, laughing weakly.

"I saw a shack up ahead." Zorin told her, standing. "Come on."

Elsa followed her through the jungle until they stopped at a dilapidated shack. Zorin pulled the lock off of it and stepped inside. Elsa followed.

The shack was empty for the most part, except for a few pieces of wood, some vines that had managed to snake their way inside and empty cans. But at least it was shelter from the rain. Well, for the human anyway. Zorin didn't care much for rain, but it wouldn't have bothered her as it did Elsa.

"Not as fancy as your theater, I imagine." Zorin quipped.

Elsa made a small sound. "It'll do."

Zorin sat down in a corner and Elsa took a spot beside her.

"We can't move until the rain lets up." Zorin said, "You rest and I'll keep watch."

"You can go without sleep?"

"I'm a vampire, idiot. I can go four weeks without sleep."

Elsa shuffled a little, holding herself. She felt a chill from being soaked by the rain. Zorin noticed this and smiled a little. She couldn't believe someone like Elsa was even a part of Millennium, much less a consideration.

"Get used to it." she said, "I've been here and done this ten times over."

Elsa frowned. "You know, your mood swings are giving me a headache."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud."

"Well, don't."

Elsa sighed, leaning back against the wall. Zorin decided to light a cigarette and the other woman glanced over at her, grimacing at the smell of nicotine.

"Do you have to smoke all the time?" she asked.

Zorin blew a ring of smoke in Elsa's face and the woman coughed a few times.

"You don't like it?" Zorin sneered. "Get over it."

"It's not healthy, you know."

"Now the binge drinker's going to preach to me?"

Elsa snorted. "I don't want to fight right now. We're on a mission. It's more important than whatever issues you might have with me."

She held herself in her coat, shuddering. Zorin glanced down and noticed Elsa holding her hands to her chest before she rolled her eyes.

"Just go to sleep," she said, "You get four hours."

Elsa laid down on the shack and her eyes fell on Zorin's tattoos. She tilted her head curiously and studied the writing, trying to make sense of them. Zorin was focusing on the rain until she sensed eyes on her. She looked down at Elsa and found her staring a bit annoying.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped.

"Your tattoos," Elsa said.

"Why?"

"I like them."

Zorin didn't really understand why she stared or why she liked them, but if it kept her quiet, she didn't argue further. Instead, she sighed and sat there, agitated when Elsa lifted her arm; she was trying to see how far they went.

"Oh! They go all around!" Elsa said. "They glow when you cast your spell. How does that work?"

"The tattoos amplify my spells. The closer the victim, the stronger the spell is. The harder it is to break."

"Who did them?"

"I did it to myself."

"So were you always able to do this or is it something you were born with?"

"I was born with it."

"A contact telepath?"

"Yeah."

Zorin was getting frustrated with her constant questions. She wanted Elsa to be quiet and the woman was annoying her completely now.

"So how do you know what spells to use?" Elsa asked.

"Would you just... Goddamn it! Are you fucking with me? I can't remember all of this shit. Does everything with you have to be a fucking test?" Zorin spat.

Elsa shrugged her shoulders. "I was just curious."

"Whatever." Zorin snapped, seething a little. She grinned mockingly now. "Maybe later we can braid each others hair and talk about pretty girls!"

Elsa sighed, throwing her hands in the air. "Fine. I can see you're in a mood. I'm going to sleep."

"Good."

"Great."

"THANK YOU."

"WONDERFUL."

Eventually, after a moment of struggling to get comfortable, Elsa finally fell asleep. Zorin continued to watch the rainfall from the pitiful shack window. She had allowed Elsa to sleep, resting her head on her leg and didn't really concern herself with moving the woman.

It wasn't that important anyway.

O

It was still night by the time Elsa woke up.

She frowned and grunted, stretching a little before she noticed Zorin was gone. Frowning, Elsa struggled to stretch out the stiffness in her joints before she stood up and peered out of the shack. She didn't see signs of the vampire anywhere and it concerned her a little.

Suddenly, a hand clasped over her mouth and Elsa started to scream, but she looked back and it was Zorin. The vampire brought a finger to her lips, a gesture for Elsa to keep quiet. The woman nodded, showing she understood and Zorin pointed across the river to a group of three men nearby. So far, they didn't see the two women.

Elsa frowned at her, clueless to what Zorin had planned.

The vampire smirked and gestured with a flick of her head. Elsa stared at her, dumbfounded before Zorin made a gesture with her hand. Elsa rolled her eyes and shrugged. She had no idea what Zorin was trying to tell her.

Zorin huffed impatiently and gestured to a rat perched on the shack. Then to the group nearby. Then, she made a decapitating gesture with her finger.

Elsa's eyes narrowed. She understood.

She raised her hand and several rats began moving toward the position of the group. They swarmed over the men, who screamed in snippets of English and Portuguese. Elsa turned her hand and clenched it into a fist. She whispered out "eat" and the rats began to consume the flesh of the men.

Zorin watched the sight with a smirk on her face.

When the rats finished, she patted Elsa's back. "Good work." she said. "Let's keep going."

Elsa looked at Zorin curiously as they ventured through the jungle. "What were those men?" she asked, "Terrorists or part of the members of the fort?"

"No one. I just wanted to get rid of them should they see us."

Elsa stopped, shock on her face. "What?"

"You heard me. Now don't stop."

Elsa scowled furiously. "We can't just kill people for no reason."

"I can and YOU just did."

"But that isn't fair! They did no harm to us!"

Zorin stopped and whirled, getting into her personal space now. She moved so quick that Elsa had been backed into a tree.

"You are a part of Millennium now!" she spat, her green eyes flaring. "Whether you like it or not, these people are NOTHING. Not a damn thing! They will all die if it suits our needs in any way! So if you have a problem with that or can't stomach it, then you're free to go right now!"

Elsa glared at her, eyes widening in furious disbelief. She stood there and it seemed as though she was going to start yelling before she made her way far ahead of Zorin. The vampire followed, but Elsa began to walk faster, as if attempting to stay far from her.

"Elsa, wait. Slow down." Zorin ordered.

"No. I'm doing this alone. I don't need you."

"You're such a fucking baby!" Zorin snapped, cutting the trees that ended up in her way when Elsa pushed them aside. Her voice carried a warning now. "Stop walking! I mean it, Elsa! That's an order!"

"No."

"I said, stop!"

"No. I'm not going to stop!"

Elsa suddenly misstepped and tumbled down a sharp hill. Zorin stood there, watching the woman disappear down the hill before she scowled.

"I told you to stop!" she yelled down at her.

Elsa laid there at the bottom of the hill, groaning in pain. She staggered to her feet and began to dust herself off before she was met with several rifles pointed at her face. Zorin's eyes widened and she ducked out of sight.

Elsa didn't understand the men as they shouted in furious streams of Portuguese. One gestured to Elsa and two more seized her. She kicked and thrashed, shrieking as they began to carry her away.

Enraged, Zorin started to move forward, but stopped.

If she did anything, there would surely be a warning sent to the fort and the mission would have been for nothing. She couldn't stop them now.

"Fucking idiot." she spat.

O

Elsa choked when water was splashed in her face.

"Wake up, _gringo_." a thickly accented voice purred.

Elsa looked around, dazed. She could see that she was sitting in a garage of some kind and several men surrounded her, armed with rifles and machine guns, dressed in camouflage. One in particular stepped forward. He was probably in his late fifties and wore thick body armor.

"Ah, good." he said. "You're awake. I have some questions for you, _mina_."

Elsa squirmed and realized that she was cuffed to a chair by her arms and legs. She met the man's gaze and he pulled up a chair, sitting while leaning against the back of it.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

Elsa simply stared at him silently.

"Ah, I see. Well, I hate to do this..." he said.

She watched him pull out a black object - the size of a flashlight. She knew what it was. A picana. A torture tool most commonly used worldwide. It would definitely hurt.

"The _bagulho _who was with you...where is she?" he asked. "My men spotted the two of you together in that little shack down the river. Did she go call for reinforcements? Is that what's going on here?"

Elsa didn't answer again.

Suddenly, the picana was shoved into her abdomen and a current of electricity washed through her body. She shuddered and let out a shriek of agony.

Outside, Zorin had heard it and she snarled, moving with greater necessity than before.

Elsa slumped in her chair, panting. She coughed and could practically smell smoke.

"Bruno hates violence, especially to young girls as pretty as you," the man - Bruno said. "But you're not giving me much choice, _mina_. Now you speak or it's going to get worse."

"No..." Elsa groaned.

"All right." Bruno turned to another man. "Lasar?"

Elsa looked at the man whom Bruno had addressed. He was pushing a tray of items up to them. Lasar picked one up; a small pair of pliers.

Her eyes widened.

Bruno sighed as Lasar took Elsa's jaw, forcing it open. He looked up and yelled outside, knowing Zorin could hear him.

"_Bagulho_? I know you can hear me!" he shouted, "Your friend is going to have a bad day! You can stop it now by stepping forward!"

Elsa groaned, trying to keep her mouth away from the pliers. "No, no, no." she cried. "Don't do it!"

It occurred to Zorin, hearing the cries from far away that Elsa was talking to her and not to the pain she was going to endure. She had to move quickly.

"Ah, well...it looks like your friend isn't your friend at all," Bruno said, staring at Elsa with mock sadness.

Lasar reached into Elsa's mouth and seized a tooth toward the back. Elsa's fingers dug into the chair's armrests and she screamed. With a fierce tug, he yanked the tooth from her mouth.

Elsa moaned and cried in agony, blood gushing from her lips. She whimpered a few times and Bruno patted her back.

"You will talk now, _mina_?" he asked.

"No!" Elsa shrieked, spitting blood from her lips.

"Bruno, she has fillings, look!" Lasar laughed, holding up the tooth.

Bruno marveled the silver cap on Elsa's tooth and chuckled. "Ah, you are not brushing." he laughed. "You know that's bad for you, yes?" He held up the tooth to his soldiers. "Always brush. This is embarrassing."

Elsa moaned and leaned back in her chair.

"You know pain? Lasar, show her the meaning of pain." Bruno ordered.

Lasar nodded and opened Elsa's mouth. The woman kicked and shrieked as he grabbed another tooth.

Zorin could hear the sounds from afar and pushed on with renewed effort.


	6. VI

~O~

**VI**

Zorin had made it to the fort.

Almost immediately, she could catch the heavy scent of blood in the air. Zorin felt panic in her chest and it startled her that she could even feel such at all. Though it was night, she knew these soldiers - or whatever the fuck they were supposed to be - would have means of seeing her if she was caught.

It had to be quiet.

If she used her spell, that would surely alert Bruno to her presence. So she had to do things the old fashioned way after all.

Several rats made their way passed her legs. Zorin frowned down at them and decided to follow. They led her toward a garage door where a man was just leaving, wiping his hands. Zorin waiting until he was gone before she entered the garage.

The rats led her to Elsa, who was slumped over in her chair. Zorin looked around for signs of soldiers before she made her way to Elsa's side.

"Elsa!" she whispered fiercely.

The rats climbed into Elsa's lap and were nibbling at her clothes. She was soaked from water and her chest was covered in blood. Zorin grabbed her chin and forced it up.

Elsa's mouth and chin were also soaked in blood. Her face was swollen and her eyes were closed. Zorin looked down and noticed that a few of Elsa's fingers looked to be crushed in horrid positions. In any method of torture that Zorin was familiar with, she knew that this was slow and particularly painful.

"Elsa!" Zorin hissed, shaking her. "Wake up. Now."

Elsa barely managed to let out a small gasp. Her eyes barely opened and she grinned, showing her blood-soaked teeth. Zorin stared at her in disbelief.

"They tried to make me talk..." she told the vampire. "Oh, did they try. But they had nothing to threaten me with. Nothing at all."

Zorin stared at her, confused and angry. "You don't know me. You don't owe me anything." she whispered, furious and mildly stung by this, "Why were you ready to die for me? Fucking answer me."

Elsa blinked slowly, wheezing a little. She was still grinning, despite the obvious agony she was in. "I thought I was a little more obvious than that, Zorin."

Zorin groaned, rubbing her face with one hand. "Fuck..." she hissed. "Fuck!"

Elsa looked up. "They'll be back soon."

"Can you walk?"

"I think so..."

Zorin grabbed the handcuffs and snapped them from the chair. Elsa was still stuck with having the cuffs attached to her wrists and ankles, but it didn't matter. She could still stand and move, but barely.

"I had an epiphany, Zorin..." Elsa mumbled, through her swollen mouth. "I understand now."

Zorin arched an eyebrow.

"Yes. I know what I am. I know what I have to do."

Zorin still failed to comprehend, but didn't have time to consider what Elsa was saying. There was a sound of a door opening and they turned, only to find a soldier enter. When he saw the situation, his eyes widened and he raised his rifle. Zorin smirked and held up her scythe.

"What are you doing?" the soldier cried. "You're not supposed to - "

Zorin swiped her blade and the soldier immediately fell into two bloody halves onto the floor. She turned to Elsa, who held her hands. The woman winced in pain and Zorin walked to her, taking her broken hands into her larger ones.

"I'm not going to be much use with these," Elsa said.

"Hold on." Zorin told her.

She grabbed Elsa's fingers and forced them back into their proper place. Elsa had clenched her teeth and forced down a scream while Zorin did this.

"Suck it up." Zorin sneered, though her words weren't nearly as scathing as usual.

Elsa winced, making several soft sounds of pain before she smiled.

"Ready?" Zorin asked.

"Yes."

"Let's paint this fort with their blood!" Zorin shouted.

O

"Stay behind me, Elsa."

"No worries there..."

Soldiers didn't pay heed to the death soon upon them. A few were crowded in the hallways, talking when the whistle of Zorin's scythe cut through the air. One of them turned, just in time to have a blade buried in his chest.

Elsa took cover as Zorin's weapon blurred through the air, blocking the bullets being shot at her with inhuman speed. Elsa raised her arms to her head, ducking from a corpse thrown in her direction.

"Having fun over there, Elsa?!" Zorin yelled, over the chaos with a cackle to follow.

A soldier rushed at her and she spun her leg out, kicking him in the mouth in a spray of blood and broken teeth.

She grabbed a man attempting to run, just as several more soldiers rushed down the hall. She used his body as a shield and he was ripped to pieces by shellfire. Elsa still hid behind Zorin, who laughed with glee, clearly enjoying the slaughter.

Two more soldiers emerged; one was armed with a rocket launcher.

Zorin's grin widened. "So, you wanna play, do you?"

He pulled the trigger and the projectile flew in her direction. Zorin swung her scythe, knocking it right back at them.

Elsa was almost thrown backwards by the resulting explosion, but Zorin caught her.

She grinned, exhilarated from the fight.

Elsa couldn't stop her smile either.

Zorin's smiles were addictive.

O

Rats chewed on the corpses.

What remained from the chaos was nothing but an empty fort - walls riddled with bullet marks, windows blown out, corpses strewn in pieces.

Bruno struggled to crawl away, but Zorin pressed her boot heel into his chest and laughed. He choked out in pain and could barely move his arms. Oh, because Zorin had cut them off. He was nearly dead from blood-loss and could barely see through a red haze of agony.

"Remember me, Bruno?" she crooned. "I told you we'd be back."

Bruno sputtered blood from his mouth.

Elsa watched him quietly the entire time.

"Here. Eat this." Zorin sneered, forcing the picana into Bruno's mouth. "Go on! Eat it! Swallow the whole thing! Yeah, that's it! Breathe through your nose, just like you're taught in school!"

Elsa watched him as his eyes rolled up in his head. He slowly choked to death on the intrusion and Zorin scoffed, standing.

"Well, that's that then." she said.

She turned to Lasar, who was holding himself in a corner. Zorin smiled coldly at him and raised her scythe, still dripping with blood.

"I'll take care of this last one."

Elsa held out a hand.

"No. The 'dentist' is mine." she told her.

Zorin was surprised at the response, but smirked and nodded. "Of course." she said, stepping aside.

Lasar watched as Elsa walked over to him. He let out a small, terrified whimper when she bent down to his level, studying him.

"You know...I never liked dentists," she said, her voice quiet and soft. "And you took my favorite silver tooth. I didn't like that."

Lasar trembled, staring down at several rats that had begun to circle. They waited for Elsa's command and she just smiled calmly, watching the man.

"Eat..." Elsa commanded.

The rats climbed up his body and he thrashed to get them off. But no matter how badly he squirmed and kicked, more rats joined in for the feast. Several of them even began to climb into his mouth, digging into his body with all the relentless hate that Elsa felt right now.

She didn't budge from her position while her rats tore into his corpse. Zorin watched this with a broad grin and a hiss of pleasure.

O

Elsa was helped out of the fort by Zorin, who let her lean on her arm while they waited for the plane that had originally dropped them off to pick them up.

"You know, I don't feel so terrible about this," Elsa said.

"Good. Because you don't need to." Zorin told her. "Those worms tortured YOU. You had every right in the world to fuck them up the asses."

Elsa laughed a little, though she winced in pain. "There's an image..." she quipped.

Zorin shared in her amusement.

"It's hard to believe you haven't shed a single tear," she said.

"Why? Am I really that weak to you?"

"Hm. No. I suppose not."

The two were quiet for a little bit. Elsa looked at Zorin and the older woman sensed her gaze. She frowned at Elsa and the younger woman suddenly moved forward and gave Zorin a quick kiss on the lips. After a few seconds, Elsa pulled away, embarrassed.

"Sorry." Elsa said.

Zorin smirked at her, shrugging her shoulder once. "Why?"

"Well...I thought that..."

Zorin took her other wrist, pulling her into her arms. She let Elsa balance herself a little more in them. "Hah. You call that a kiss, Liebchen? I'm not your grandmother."

"You're old enough to be." Elsa teased affectionately.

"Ha-ha, you're funny. Now shut up and kiss me right."

Before Elsa could say anything further, Zorin instead pressed her lips firmly to hers, mindful of her fangs.

Initially, Elsa would have been in pain from her torture inflictions, but it was easily forgotten when she was being kissed at the moment. Zorin didn't seem to care about her hideous swelling either.

By God, the older woman certainly knew how to kiss. Elsa had not been able to feel anything like that in a long time. With the subtle grazing of her teeth against her lower lip, the painful stabs through her head felt like the licking of flames.

With a little encouragement, Elsa was able to return the gesture quite easily. She opened her mouth somewhat and shyly licked Zorin's bottom lip. A hiss burst from Zorin's throat when she responded.

When Zorin's tongue slipped into her mouth, Elsa couldn't stop the groan that burst from her. Her fingers attempted to hold onto the older woman as much as they could. It was pain, but Elsa really didn't notice it at the moment.

She felt a fist close around a handful of her hair.

Zorin finally parted, leaving a thin trail of saliva and blood connecting their lips. She left a lingering flicker of her tongue against Elsa's bottom lip before leaning back a bit. Elsa stood there, frozen as the other woman licked her own lips, smirking with pride.

"Ah, much better." Zorin crooned.

Elsa looked dumbfounded. "Uh-huh..."

Well, that was certainly not the most intelligent thing to say, but Elsa really had nothing else to think about. That had been the best damn kiss she'd had in a long time.

Once the plane arrived, they returned to the Deus Machina where Zorin helped her to walk.

Elsa expected to be berated fiercely for her supposed failure, but when she walked to the main chamber where the others surely waited, they greeted her with cheers and applause.

Elsa was confused by this and looked at Zorin for answers, but the vampire simply carried her to the Major, who waited eagerly.

"Elsa! You did it!" Caspar cried, clapping.

Elsa frowned, watching as the Doctor moved to her side. She looked at the Major.

"I don't understand," she said, "I was captured."

"Ah! We've all been prisoners of war at some point in our lives, Elsa!" the Major told her, "You took your first mission with flying colors!"

"You're not angry?"

"No! Of course I'm not angry! I'm proud of you!" the Major said, jubilant, "We've been listening and watching your progress from here the whole time! You took your first mission WELL - like a true solder! You didn't speak a single word and took their torture! Oh, I'm still giddy about it!"

Elsa laughed weakly. "It wasn't easy." she admitted.

"Ah, I know, dear." the Major told her. "Now, I can say with great pride that you are one of us." He looked to the watching vampires and Werewolves. "Who will speak on Elsa's behalf? First Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle?"

Rip smiled brightly at Elsa. "I would gladly see Elsa as a member of our team! She has certainly proven herself worthy to be one of us!"

The Major chuckled and looked to the Captain. "Captain?"

The silent figure simply nodded his head. That was all the response he offered.

"First Lieutenant Zorin Blitz?"

Elsa looked at Zorin, who seemed to consider something. She met the younger woman's gaze before smiling a little.

"Elsa Von Bauer is no doubt a freak to say the least," Zorin said, "She's a bitch when she wants to be, a drunken idiot who doesn't think before she acts. And her disobedience almost had the mission end in failure. But...she's proven she can handle herself. As well as any one of us. So I say she's fine to me."

Elsa smiled a little at the assessment. That was as good as it was going to get.

"Then it's settled!" the Major cried, clasping his hands together. "Elsa will take her rightful place among Millennium not as a human, but as a vampire!"

Elsa looked stunned.

O

"A vampire. Me..."

The Doctor was tending to her wounds while Elsa considered the Major's decision. She was still shocked about this and the Doctor seemed willing to explain to her the procedure.

"It will be invasive, yes. But once all is said and done, you will be immortal."

Elsa frowned thoughtfully. "The Immortal Elsa Von Bauer..." she mused. A smile touched her lips. "Well, I suppose it has a nice ring to it."

The Doctor chuckled, placing a bandage over her lip. "Well, your teeth will grow back." he assured her. "So you won't need to worry about that anymore."

Elsa rubbed her jaw. "That's a blessing."

"I'll need a week to prepare," the Doctor said, "Right now, I want you to rest. You've earned it."

"Thank you." Elsa replied.

She stepped off of the table and almost fell, but raised a hand when the Doctor moved to help her. She wanted to do everything herself.

"Elsa, before you go, might I ask you something?" he queried.

"All right." Elsa said, leaning against the doorway a little.

"Why have you decided to stay?"

The question wasn't directly answered. Instead, Elsa stared at him before she glanced down at her feet. She took a deep inhale and let it out in one long breath.

"I don't know." she replied.

"Hm. All right. Go on then." the Doctor said, waving her away.

Elsa wandered out of the lab and called a rat to her. It scurried up her arm and perched on her shoulder. She scratched its tiny head with one finger, smiling.

"Good boy." she said. "Oh...girl. Sorry about that."

_Berlin, Germany_

_1973_

_Elsa was chased down the street by laughing students. They chanted "Rattenmädchen" over and over and followed her until she climbed into a sewer pipe. They didn't follow, but shouted cruel words after her anyway._

_"Verstecken, Ratte (Hide away, rat)!" a boy sneered. "Sie gehören dort unten (You belong down there)."_

_Elsa held herself, sniffling and wheeping in her hands. _

_"Es ist nicht fair (It's not fair)..." she moaned. _

_She clenched her teeth and started screaming. "Ich hasse sie (I hate them)!" she shrieked, banging her head on the wall of the pipe with each sentence.. "Ich hasse sie! Ich hasse sie!"_

_She chanted this a few times until a rat scurried passed her leg. Elsa blinked once, calmed a little. She reached out and the rat immediately jumped into her hand._

Elsa shook the memory aside. It had been so long since she had first called rats to offer her comfort from the woes of the world. She had no idea how much hate she had built up in the years. It was a frightening thing to face at first. But now that she had come to terms with who and what she was, it just made sense.

Perhaps she even had a child's mentality, at her twenty-seven years of age. Maybe so. But at least it was much easier to accept. It was a shame that it took being tortured and beaten twice for her to fully grasp it.

Meanwhile, Zorin and the other Werewolves were sitting together. Zorin seemed to be distracted, rubbing a finger across her bottom lip. Rip was reading a magazine before she smirked.

"Zorin, stop it." she said.

Zorin looked up sharply. "What?"

Rip smiled at her knowingly. "Just stop it."

Zorin sighed, glaring at her. "Shut up."

Schrodinger popped up behind her now, grinning. "Thinking about our newest addition?" he teased.

"I told you to shut up!"

Rip giggled. "Ah, young love..." she sighed.

"First of all, you're only a few years older than me, idiot," Zorin snapped, "And second of all, it's not love! Where did any of you even get such a stupid idea?"

"Well, Elsa's been talking with her rats," Rip said, shrugging. "She says you have nice lips. Silly creature. She doesn't know we can hear her through the pipes."

Schrodinger patted Zorin's shoulders. "Zorin, I hate to be the one to say this, but...you're a fool."

Zorin scowled and him and pointed to herself. "What did you just say to me?"

"She's obviously into you." Schrodinger said, smirking. "The girl's not exactly sane to do so, but who are we to judge, ja?"

Zorin scowled furiously and rose. "I don't need to listen to you idiots."

O

_Elsa was older, crouched and leaning against the wall. The sound of a belt cracking against her flesh made her barely wince at it. _

_"Dies ist nur zu deinem Besten (This is for your own good)," the voice of her father hissed. _

_"Ich weiß, Vater (I know, father)." Elsa responded, emptily. _

The memory was fleeting and sometimes still haunted Elsa. But while she sat alone with Zorin in the mess hall, the memory seemed to fade. The vampire had her feet propped up on the table where they sat, and she seemed distracted about something.

"Here, give this a try," Zorin said, offering a bottle of vodka.

"What is it?" Elsa asked.

"Vodka," Zorin answered. "Have you ever had it?"

"No."

Well? Go on."

Elsa took the bottle and gave it a drink. She grimaced and Zorin laughed a little, arching her eyebrows at the expressions on the younger woman's face.

"That's a little disgusting," Elsa said, smacking her lips.

She took another drink.

"I'm not a fan of it myself," Zorin admitted. "But its not so bad when there isn't much to get."

"Hm." Elsa murmured, clearing her throat a bit.

Zorin watched her for the longest time. "So you think I have nice lips?" she asked.

Elsa nearly coughed on her drink and set the bottle down.

"Well, I..." she said, embarrassed. "I mean, I like you."

"Why?"

Elsa looked a little confused. "What do you mean 'why'?"

"You've only known me for a short time."

"Well..." Elsa shifted a little. "You didn't have to kiss me. But you did."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "Ja. And looking back at it. I can see how that was a mistake."

Elsa looked a little hurt. "I see..."

Zorin watched her face, but noticed no real defeat there. Perhaps just a calm acceptance. It was almost frustrating to her. Elsa didn't fight. She didn't yell. Perhaps she knew.

"You did help me face my past," Elsa continued, quieter now. "And I am grateful for that. Maybe one day I could help you do the same."

Zorin stopped rubbing her lip and looked up at the top of her eyes.

"What?" she asked.

Elsa frowned a little. "Well...I assume it happened to you to."

Zorin clenched her fist a little. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice softer now. Carrying a dark edge to it this time.

"I...well, it's easy to see that you saw something worse than I did..." Elsa continued, sadly, "Those who have been dealt abuse know others who had dealt with the same. I know the signs." She watched Zorin purse her lips and quickly sought to explain. "It's just obvious for me. I don't know that it would be for others."

Zorin sat there, entirely too calm in comparison to what Elsa was used to seeing.

Then, she took the bottle and walked to a counter, taking a drink before dropping it onto the floor. It shattered and made Elsa jump a little.

"Zorin, maybe you shouldn't make a mess," she advised.

Zorin's voice became cold. "Don't fucking tell me what to do!" she suddenly spat, glaring back at her in an almost violent manner.

Elsa was quiet again, staring down at her hands.

"Oh wait, I forgot..." Zorin sneered, turning and glaring at Elsa now. "You must have been promoted over me, am I right?"

Elsa looked at her in protest. "Zorin..."

"Ah yes. The little girl who's only best friends are fucking sewer vermin!" Zorin spat, shoving a chair. "She suddenly has a fucking idea what everyone is thinking."

Elsa looked a little hurt, but didn't say anything.

Zorin looked up at the sound of the Doctor's shouts of effort, as well as the sound of ghouls snarling.

"Oh listen to that!" she continued sneering, and kicked some glass aside, "Our dear friends are here! The Doctor needs our help!"

She retrieved her scythe from a wall.

"Zorin, please calm down..." Elsa pleaded.

Zorin pointed at her. "Elsa, have you ever used a scythe before?" she spat, "Come here. I'll teach you right now! It'll be fun!"

She grabbed Elsa's wrist and dragged her down the corridors, despite the woman's protests.

"Zorin, stop it!" Elsa cried, "Wait!"

While she dragged her down the corridors, a few had stopped and watched this, shock on their faces. Zorin kicked the Doctor's door open and yanked her inside. The Doctor looked up from focusing attention to a glass container where four ghouls were.

"Zorin? What the hell are you - ?" the Doctor exclaimed.

Zorin held out her scythe. "Come on, Elsa!" she ordered. "Hold the scythe!"

"I-I don't know how!" Elsa protested.

Zorin grabbed her and brought her back to her chest. She held the scythe in two hands and made Elsa hold it as well. The Doctor looked completely stunned by what was going on.

"Hold it like this!" Zorin hissed. "Good! Doc, open the cell!"

The Doctor looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Do it! I want to show Elsa how to kill these things! She obviously knows more than the rest of us!"

Elsa looked at the Doctor helplessly, who simply sighed.

"Another training session? Fine. I needed to get rid of them anyway." he muttered.

Elsa shook her head in disbelief as the Doctor opened the cell. Immediately, the ghouls rushed from them and Zorin forced her to move the scythe so that she could decapitate them as they charged. It was agony being yanked around considering her body was slowly healing from the torture she had endured.

"Beautiful form, Elsa!" Zorin's congratulatory cheers were very condescending, "That's it! Swing it! Now!"

One was still alive - its head snapped and groaned even after being freed from its body - after the initial carnage and Elsa pulled away from her.

"Just stop it!" she cried.

The Doctor quickly made his way from the room, not wanting to be there for a shitstorm.

"Why?" Zorin sneered. "I thought you LIKED me, after all!"

"I still do! But when you're acting like...like..."

"Like a what?" Zorin was in her face, glowing down at her with fury. She was in Elsa's personal space now, daring her to retaliate. "Go on, Elsa. Face me! Like a what? I WANT TO HEAR IT!"

"Like..." Elsa looked like she wanted to finish her sentence, but stopped and took a deep inhale. She opened her eyes after closing them for a few moments.

Suddenly, Zorin was pushed backwards and locked into the cell. She looked stunned and slapped at the glass before she glowered murderously at Elsa, raising a finger.

"You're so fucking dead." she whispered.

"I'm getting the Captain. You need to calm down." Elsa said, evenly.

Zorin struggled to push the door open, but the reinforced glass would hold for a while. "You little BITCH!" she spat, in disbelief. Her voice was high with rage. "Let me out, now!"

Elsa left the room and shut the steel door behind her.

Zorin slapped the glass and punched it, enraged. "ELSA!" she shouted.

Elsa tried to ignore Zorin's shouts as she looked for the Captain. She found him in the training hall, reading a book while others were going about their business.

"Captain? I need your help with something, sir." Elsa said, carefully.

The Captain closed his book and regarded Elsa.

"It's...Zorin. She's quite angry and I had to lock her in the Doctor's lab." Elsa explained. She watched his head tilt slowly at that. "It's silly, I know. But she won't listen to me."

The Captain walked passed her without a single word.

O

Zorin had not spoken to her the next day.

Elsa was confused for the longest time. She finally thought that perhaps Zorin was pouting because she had finally found something out about her. Well, more or less, anyway. Maybe she wasn't fond of people knowing her darker secrets. But Elsa assumed it would have been okay to know. Maybe that was where she made a mistake.

But Zorin avoided her and when she tried to speak with her, the older woman would abruptly leave the room. It was one instance that Rip inquired about it.

"We...had a difficult time." Elsa admitted. "I think I did something very wrong."

Rip blinked, considering this. "Zorin is upset? Well, now that's odd. Not much upsets her. Although I did hear that you locked her up. Thats funny. I didn't know you were into that sort of thing. You're lucky you didn't get your head taken off with that nasty scythe of hers."

"She's highly temperamental. That's obvious."

"No. Not rage. Pain. It's difficult to emotionally hurt her."

"Well, she can't ignore me forever. It's not right."

"Technically she can, silly! She is a vampire!"

Elsa gave her a weary glare.

"What?" Rip asked, looking genuinely confused.

The following day, Zorin continued to ignore her. So Elsa decided to try something to get her attention again. She dragged Rip by the arm and the vampire groaned in protest.

"I don't see how this is going to work." Rip said. "I am a busy woman, you know."

"Busy with your trashy girl magazines?" Elsa quipped.

"Hey now! Those magazines are authentic!"

Elsa spotted Zorin standing over a desk with the Doctor, discussing something over a few laid out papers. She smiled at Rip.

"Okay, I saw this in a movie once," she told her.

"Ooh, I do love movies!" Rip gushed, excitedly clapping. "What one was it?"

"The one with the guy. And the two girls."

Rip blushed a little and made gestures with her hands. "You mean the one where she's on the speedboat and he's like 'ooh, were to, missy' and then she - ?"

"No! No, not that one..." Elsa said, embarrassed.

Rip grinned happily. "Oh well. It's so nice to see us bonding anyway! You and me! Friends!" she said. "This will be such fun! So...what do I do then?"

"Well, pretend that you're telling a joke. Actually, you can tell a real one if you want. I'll laugh really loudly." Elsa explained. "It'll get her attention."

"Ah, devious! I like it!" Rip said, "I know a good one that'll knock the socks off of you!"

Zorin continued her discussion until Elsa's laugh rang out through the compound. It captured the attention of a few soldiers and she struggled to keep herself from losing it.

"I know, funny, ja?" Rip said, proud of herself. "My father could tell some _real _dirty ones too!"

"Oh no, I've got the giggles!" Elsa squeaked, her face red. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"How about this one?" Rip suggested. "I have one about an old woman and a cucumber!"

"No!" Elsa strained, giggling. "You're worse than Jan Valentine!"

Zorin frowned and straightened, watching the two women for a moment.

"Or there's the one about the salami and the fisherman?" Rip murmured. "Hm, I have quite a bit, ja! The three-legged gypsy one always killed me though!"

Zorin's glare intensified and she looked down at the Doctor. "I'll talk with you later." she said. She growled out her words next under her breath. "I'm going to fucking kill her..."

"All right." The Doctor replied, sensing something bad about to happen.

Zorin stalked over to them, clutching her scythe tightly in her hand. Rip smiled cheerfully.

"Hello, Zorin!" she greeted.

"What's going on here?" Zorin demanded.

"Just a little joke among friends!" Rip played. "Good friends!"

Zorin's eyes narrowed. "Good friends, eh?"

"Yes, friends." Elsa said, calmly.

Zorin considered this, glaring down at her. "No. I don't think so. Do I look like I was born yesterday, Elsa? I see what's going on here."

Rip looked uncertain now.

"I leave you alone for a few days to think and you go pining after the first idiot who shows you friendship?" Zorin spat. "Are you that pathetic?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed with a hiss. "At least she doesn't attack me every chance she gets!"

"I could, though." Rip joked.

"Shut up!" Zorin spat at her. She turned her fury to Elsa now. "You asked for it! There is a place you have and you WILL remember it!"

Those watching expected Elsa to be hurt by this, but she looked angry.

"Oh, so that's what it was, then? A PLACE?"

"YES! I am your superior officer!"

"That's not how you treated me!"

"THAT'S NO ONE ELSE'S GODDAMN BUSINESS!"

"IT MAY AS WELL BE! WE'RE BOTH SHOUTING NOW!"

Rip backed away cautiously. "I should be going." she stammered.

The other two women were arguing, gathering the attention of the soldiers, who stopped to watch them. But no one wanted to step in to stop it.

"...FUCK YOUR GODDAMN TOUCHY-FEELY BULLSCHEISSE!" Zorin spat.

"Oh, so when someone cares about you, that makes them weak?" Elsa shot back.

"Y_OU'RE_ THE ONE WHO LOCKED _ME_ UP, YOU STUPID BITCH!"

The Doctor looked at Schrodinger. "I can't help but feel we should stop them."

"No. This is getting good. Like timely soap stories the Major used to watch, remember?" Schrodinger laughed.

"Ah. Good point."

"...Fuck her!" Zorin hissed. "She can plant one straight on my Nazi asshole!"

"You don't get to treat me that way!"

"I GET TO TREAT YOU HOWEVER I FUCKING PLEASE!"

"Then you tell me the truth! Tell me why you do this to me, or are you scared?"

Zorin's eyes widened. She stood there and her voice dropped a dangerous register. A dark undercurrent that oozed with murder.

"Is that what you think?" she whispered. Her voice was frightening now.

Elsa was afraid of her, but she wasn't backing down this time. Not now.

"It's what I know..." she said, quietly now.

"You know NOTHING." Zorin hissed.

The smallest bead of sweat trickled down her head. Elsa caught sight of it and she closed her eyes briefly. She spoke on an even level now.

"I saw it. You looked at me. And you saw yourself." Zorin scoffed in disbelief, but Elsa continued. "I saw it and then I knew. I knew we were the same. That's why you constantly attack and beat me when you can. I understood it. But God forbid you ever let anyone in."

Zorin glowered down at her.

"Every kill brings you closer to peace." Elsa continued, sadness in her voice. "I know. I thought the same way too. But the memories are never too far away...are they?"

"Yeah? You think you know everything, don't you? Maybe if you spent time keeping your nose out of everyone else's fucking business, you'd be better off!" Zorin hissed, venomously. She grinned cruelly and nodded off of Elsa's silence. "You're afraid. You're afraid of being alone because you have no one else. I know fear, Elsa!"

"You're right," Elsa replied, quietly. "I am afraid. I'm always afraid. Afraid of living. Afraid of dying. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not terrified of something. But just because you master another's fear, doesn't mean you master your own."

Zorin glared at her. "Fuck you, Elsa. I don't fucking need you!"

"I know. I know you don't. And why would you? I think that's okay. We both know the same pain." Elsa replied, pain in her voice. "Whether or not we open up is a part of it."

Zorin continued to glower at her, but she wasn't screaming now.

"Sorry for wasting any of your time then." Elsa said, quietly.

She turned and walked away without another word.

O

Jan Valentine leaned back, uttering a relaxed sigh.

"Ah, nothing like kicking back after a job, eh, bro?"

Luke was laying back in a lawn chair with him. They were both inside the gym until Zorin stomped by them, snarling a few choice obscenities.

"Uh-oh," Jan joked, "The clam-muncher's pissed again."

Zorin started beating on a punching bag and Jan stood up, swaggering over.

"Leave her alone, Jan." Luke warned.

Jan walked over to the punching bag, holding onto it while Zorin punched. "And the atomic lesbian of the century goes in for the kill!" he spoke in a comical announcer's voice, "She's on a roll, ladies and germs! Left! Right! Left!"

Zorin started to punch the bag and Jan stuck his face between it and her.

"You know, you are kinda sexy when you're pissed!" he joked.

She snarled at him and punched, but Jan ducked just in time to avoid having his head obliterated by her fist. She took a moment to collect herself while the Valentine brothers watched her.

"That little bitch!" Zorin hissed, "After all I did for her!"

Luke frowned. "Who? You mean Elsa?"

"Who else?!" Zorin snapped.

"What did she do?" Luke questioned. "You two can't possibly be fighting."

"Yeah. You guys are like two psycho dykes in a pea pod." Jan laughed.

Zorin rolled her eyes at his words. "Well fuck me, you can count past one."

Luke glanced at his brother, weary. "Well, perhaps it's for the best." he said. "Actually, I think Elsa's found herself a nice girl anyway. She seems better off."

Zorin looked shocked, whirling and retrieving her scythe. "What?!" she spat. "Who is she? Give me her name and I'll gut her!"

Luke sighed and hung his shoulders. "Zorin, that's a lie. See how worked up you were? You still care about her. Yeah, you do and you know it." he said. "Now stop this foolishness and make up. We're all on the same side here."

Jan stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, and if you do kiss and make up..." He leaned forward and whispered casually. "Can I watch?"

Luke made a disgusted sound and grabbed him. "Come on, Jan."

"No, really!" Jan insisted. "I'll sit in a corner and be quiet! I'll beat it and you won't even know I'm there!"

"Somehow I really doubt that," Luke snapped, dragging him out of the gym.

Zorin stood there in silence.

She did not move for quite some time.


	7. VII

**~O~**

**VII**

Zorin was no stranger to pride.

She didn't want to just make up with the stupid woman. They never really had anything to begin with. What Luke suggested was just asinine.

She watched Elsa associate with the others from afar. The younger woman was apparently being goaded into juggling by Schrodinger.

"Come on, Elsa; show us!" he urged.

Elsa laughed. "I haven't done it since I was fourteen."

Schrodinger took off and Rip grinned down at her. "I would love to see if you could do it."

"Well, okay. I'll try."

Schrodinger returned moments later with a few light-bulbs. He thrust them out to Elsa insistently. "I couldn't find anything else." he said. "Try these light-bulbs!"

Elsa straightened and took them. "All right."

She closed her eyes and seemed to collect herself before she began juggling the light-bulbs. Schrodinger clapped happily and Rip laughed. Elsa just smiled at them and glanced up at the Captain. His eyebrows rose slightly.

The Doctor walked up behind her. "Elsa, can you - "

The act startled her so much, she ended up dropping the light-bulbs. Everyone ducked for cover as they exploded in several loud bangs. The Doctor eventually gave Elsa an annoyed smile.

"Do I want to know?" he asked, evenly.

"I don't think so." Elsa replied, embarrassed.

Zorin just let out a small guffaw of amusement. The smile slowly disappeared when Elsa left with the Doctor. After what had happened, she still had no desire to talk with Elsa. Not yet. She had to get her thoughts together before she could find some way to gain the upper hand again. There was no way she was going to allow her to have any advantage.

So she laid in bed, thinking about what had happened.

Zorin really never gave her past any thought anymore. It was pointless to go back to history when they should have lived in the now. The most horrifying part was that Elsa had been right. It HAD happened to her too and she never told anyone about it. Not even the Major knew. Abuse was abuse, so it came and went for her. She didn't want to think about the days when she had been weak.

Zorin's hands were shaking so much and she didn't know why. It almost felt like an anxiety attack, but that couldn't be right. She hadn't had one since she was twenty years old. They usually came and went when she thought about her childhood. This was fucked up beyond measure. And all because of the sad little assumptions of a weak little girl.

Well, Elsa wasn't as weak as she used to be, anyway. Even Zorin had to admit that to herself. She'd come quite far from being a little pissant. The woman was becoming stronger in her resolve lately. Which was good in Millennium's plan. Well, as far as the Major was concerned.

Just then, something brushed against her leg and she growled, looking down and spotting a tiny white and brown rat scurrying on her bed. She was about to swat it down until she noticed it was wearing a tiny harness with a little note attached to it.

"Hm..." Zorin murmured, "A note. Are you a little messenger?"

She took the note from its harness. It was rolled up neatly and as she opened it, her features relaxed a little. She had no idea to expect excellent penmanship like this.

_Zorin._

_If you want to meet me, I'm outside on the roof. _

_We should talk. _

_\- Elsa_

_P.S. Mind the rat. He bites. _

Zorin looked down at the rat and hissed when she felt it nip her finger. "Ah. Dammit." she cursed.

She scooped the rat up and carried him with her to the rooftops. Elsa was sitting there with her feet dangling over the edge. The sound of the rooftop door opening alerted her. She looked back and smiled when she saw Zorin approaching. The vampire seemed hesitant about the meeting, but still walked up to her with her rat in hand.

"Ah. Good. You delivered my message," Elsa crooned, holding out her arm for her rat. Zorin held him down to her and Elsa chuckled, happy with her little delivery pet. She reached into her jacket pocket for a piece of dried apple and fed it to him.

Zorin sighed and sat down beside her. "What do you want?" she asked, weary.

"To talk. That's all." Elsa said, evenly. "I thought about what happened. I know what I did. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."

Zorin didn't reply for a moment. She fidgeted with her hands a little before staring straight ahead. "No. You shouldn't have..."

"I rather turned into a desperate idiot, I suppose. It's been known to happen."

Zorin arched an eyebrow with a snort. "Really? I couldn't tell."

Elsa smiled now. "Shut up."

A chuckle left Zorin's lips and Elsa laughed a little too.

They were quiet for a moment and simply stared into the distance where they could see city lights.

"Do you come up here a lot?" Zorin asked.

"Yes. It's...nice. Helps me think sometimes." Elsa admitted. She absently rubbed the head of the rat in her hand, watching him. "I figured it might help you too since no one else is around. But what helps one person might not necessarily help another. So sorry again for that."

"The heights normally scare people. Humans, I mean."

"Nein. Not me. They never really have, actually. Well, except for jumping from a moving plane anyway. That normally gives anyone pause." She paused at Zorin's amused snort before continuing. "I've always had a love for exploring as a kid." Elsa shrugged. "My rats tell me it's no different from down there. The ground is simply higher."

"You talk to your rats?"

"Their voices are in my mind most of the time," Elsa replied. "Which is possibly why my sanity was called into question. Most of them didn't really take into consideration that rats are easier to understand than people. I suppose that's why they were my friends."

Zorin exhaled, knowing where that sentence was coming from. "My actions were a little childish, I suppose. I've killed people for the same things."

"I wouldn't say that entirely." Elsa replied - she didn't seem as upset discussing that matter this time. "I touched a nerve. I could tell. Your temper is rather scary. It is, I'll admit it."

Zorin smirked. "I know. I'm a bitch when I want to be."

"All the time, though?"

"Ah-hah..."

Elsa smiled a little before shrugging. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." she replied. "It's your business. I won't pry in your affairs."

"Good. Otherwise I'll have to kill you then to teach you a lesson."

Elsa chuckled. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

They laughed a little.

"God, this is stupid." Zorin muttered, between laughs. "I feel like a fucking butterfly."

"Then you are the best butterfly here." Elsa added. She flashed a silly grin.

Their laughter died when their eyes met. It had been one of the few times Elsa actually made eye-contact with her, but it was fleeting. She quickly averted her eyes.

"Eyes on me, girl." Zorin ordered.

"Ah, yes. Sorry."

"And stop with the fucking 'sorries' already."

Elsa cringed a little, weakly smiling. They were quiet again, staring out into the distance. Some of the soldiers were practicing outside, paying no notice to the two women. If they did, they certainly were wise to not pester them, especially Zorin.

"Why do you do that, anyway?" Elsa asked, after a moment.

"Do what?"

She was petting her rat again. "Act so tough?"

"I AM tough."

"Well...maybe." Elsa said, carefully. "But I think one should be able to talk about some things once in a while. You can be the hardest person in the world and still talk about what plagues you."

"Hm. Sounds stupid."

"Why?"

"What's the point in that if it happened long ago?"

"It could help."

"How exactly? It won't change what already happened."

"Well..." Elsa considered this before shrugging. "I don't know."

They were silent again.

Eventually, Elsa sensed eyes on her and glanced up at Zorin for a moment. The vampire met her gaze. They looked away for a brief second before looking back at each other.

Elsa's eyes narrowed.

Zorin's eyebrows rose.

Before they knew it - or could really stop it - both of them were upon one another in a sloppy, ungraceful fashion.

_So fast... _Elsa thought.

Zorin's large hands managed to find their way into Elsa's jacket and onto her bare skin. Oh, those hands were like ICE, but immediately warmed at the contact of her flesh. She shivered and wrapped her arms around Zorin's shoulders instinctively. Her rat had scurried away, not wanting to be crushed by the two women.

Her touch was rough, but not at all unpleasant as Elsa was accustomed to when Zorin had hit her. It was pleasant and nice to feel wanted, even if it was in this manner. The vampire was all hands; she smelled of cigarettes and fresh soap. Elsa felt herself almost dizzy by the scent and feel of her. It was the one time she couldn't complain about Zorin's smoking.

Elsa couldn't stop the small gasp when she felt Zorin's hand move to her abdomen, caressing her and deftly dodging her belt buckle, and that was when the vampire chose to meet her lips in a bruising kiss. Her tongue flicked against Elsa's lips, seeking entry and Elsa obliged, opening her mouth before the world around her grew steadily hotter.

All she could focus on was the hot, wet caress of their tongues and their almost breathless exhalations between kisses. Zorin parted a little flicked her tongue against Elsa's in a malicious parody of what was to come before returning to press her lips against hers again.

Elsa just made a soft moan of approval in Zorin's mouth, gripping her lower back. Those long nails kneaded her beneath that holter top and Zorin hissed sharply at the delicious sting they left.

"Zorin...hold on a minute..." Elsa gasped, when the vampire began to move her lips to her throat. "I...I think someone's coming."

"Right now, I don't care if it was fucking Adolf Hitler's ghost."

"Downstairs. Let's take it downstairs."

Zorin growled impatiently, but eventually parted with a nod. "Fine."

She scooped Elsa up in her arms and the woman let out a yelp at the abrupt gesture, one that made Zorin smirk. Elsa smiled shyly in return. She was smaller than Zorin, but in those muscular arms, she felt even smaller.

Zorin flashed a grin at her, showing her fangs.

O

Zorin kicked the door open, carrying Elsa into her arms and into her bed.

She was unusually eager, but Elsa didn't complain. When she was carried to her bed, Zorin climbed on top of her, crouched like a hungry predator. Somehow in Elsa's case, her uniform had become disheveled against her, exposing her naked shoulder and neck.

"Now THAT's a good look for you," Zorin hissed.

Elsa didn't want to have to explain to anyone why she had that "pre-sex" look with Zorin carrying her down the corridors. Fortunately, no one else was around and Elsa was also not too sure if she really cared at the moment. Honestly, the Major could have walked in and she would have found it difficult to listen to any order he would have had.

When Zorin licked a heated trail down Elsa's shoulder blade, she noticed a tense shiver. That was interesting. Elsa wasn't as responsive as she had been when they were on the roof. As if she hadn't been entirely prepared for the reality of what they were about to do. She wasn't THAT stupid. Surely she knew this would happen.

It was a mild concern. Elsa surely didn't have second thoughts about her. Zorin hated the idea of anyone playing her for a fool, but Elsa didn't seem like the kind to lie about her emotions. Plus, she wasn't very good at it to begin with. But she seemed to startle at any movement Zorin made, like a nervous doe. She let no one touch her - not even Rip was allowed to give her even the slightest embrace.

"What's the matter?" Zorin eventually asked.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie."

Elsa pursed her lips, seemingly mulling it over in her head. Ah, there WAS a problem. Her facial expressions betrayed her. "Uhm, Zorin...I need to tell you something." she said, slight nervousness in her voice now.

"All right?"

"I...really don't know how else to say this - it's so embarrassing - but I'll just come out and say it and risk you laughing at me." Elsa closed her eyes and let out a shuddering gasp when Zorin began to kiss her neck again. "I'm...a virgin."

Zorin paused and slowly parted, frowning down at her. She sighed and slapped her thighs with her hands. "All right. If you don't want me touching you anymore, just be a man and say so." she snapped, her voice carrying a very faint trace of disappointment to it. "There's no need to lie to me."

Elsa looked horrified now, stopping her before she could pull away. "No! Oh God no. That's not it at all!" she insisted, willing to explain. "Yes, it's true. I'm a virgin. I've only ever kissed another girl." She was blushing now. "I've never actually...well, you know..."

Zorin's eyes slowly widened. She sat back a bit, regarding Elsa with surprise. "You're kidding me."

Elsa shook her head, still embarrassed.

"So you're a twenty-seven year old virgin?"

"...I suppose so."

Zorin thought about that for a moment and Elsa continued to explain.

"Mona was never ready for something like that. We were both too young at the time. She wanted to wait. I was okay with it." she continued. "And after her death, I suppose I was so terrified about trying again, it just...never happened. That and most women who met me in the bars said I smelled like rat all the time."

Zorin let out a guffaw. She didn't know what was funnier; the thought of Elsa barhopping, or the fact that she DID smell like rodent. "You do. But I never really gave a shit about it."

Elsa smiled a little. She sucked her teeth and waved a hand. "Oh, stop."

"No. Really. Who cares what you smell like? I'm a vampire. Do you know how many times I've been covered in blood and guts? It's not pretty. I think I can handle a little animal smell."

Elsa laughed and arched an eyebrow. "And I'm the strange one?"

"All right. All right. Shut up. Enough of this." Zorin said. She stared at Elsa now, dead serious. "You're just a virgin? That's all?"

Elsa nodded. It was strange. But she could have sworn that Zorin was seeking reassurance somehow, even in an infinitesimal amount. It was peculiar considering that Elsa was the one with issues. Maybe that wasn't whole-heartedly the case after all.

"That's all." she assured her.

Zorin smirked now, showing her fangs a little. "Good. Glad we got that scheisse out of the way. You're just a virgin. Well, not for long, anyway. We're going to fuck and you're going to ask me for it."

Elsa frowned, confused.

"Go on, say it."

"You know I don't like talking like that, Zorin."

"Well tough shit. Say it or I'm out of here."

Elsa growled, frustrated with Zorin's insistence that she ask in the most foul manner possible. Though the idea of Zorin leaving was probably one of the worst things she could think of right now. She pursed her lips when Zorin began to lightly brush a hand against one of her breasts, her thumb teasing her nipple to hardness.

"Fine. Fuck!" she snapped. "There, I said it!"

"Hmm," Zorin crooned, licking a scorching trail down Elsa's neck. She seemed satisfied now. Her lips moved to Elsa's ear and her breath was hot against her skin. "Do you want me to fuck you, Elsa?"

Elsa moaned softly when one of Zorin's hands took one of her legs and wrapped it around her waist so the larger woman could teasingly grind against her.

"Yes..." she croaked.

Zorin sat up a bit and removed her holter top. When she casually tossed it aside, she noticed the wide-eyed look on Elsa's face now, as if she was star-struck. The stare was strange. No one had ever looked at her like that and she found it unusual. If not even a bit unnerving. Most people usually didn't stare at her for long - they normally knew better - especially in the way that Elsa was.

"What?" Zorin asked, frowning. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Because you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen."

Elsa wasn't able to tell very well in the dim light, but she could have sworn that Zorin blushed a little. She looked embarrassed and snorted at Elsa's observation.

"I'm sorry. Does that embarrass you?" Elsa asked.

"No."

"Liar."

Zorin uttered a small snort. "Smartass."

"I call it like I see it, dear." Her eyes fell a bit to study the firm muscles of the older woman. "And...you...have a positively amazing body..."

She wanted to touch, but shyly pulled away. Where was a woman to begin?

Zorin huffed a little and rubbed the back of her neck. She seemed a little awkward about Elsa's observation. "Yes, I know. I do work out a bit. You've seen me."

Elsa smiled a little. "Obviously. I could probably break my hand on your abdomen."

Zorin knew she was stalling out of nervousness - which was to be expected from a virgin. So she took Elsa's hand and placed it against her abs, letting her feel the rippling muscle. She watched the younger woman's eyes widen further. It was precious.

"There. Don't be so shy, Liebchen. Touch me as much as you like."

Elsa bit her lip and her fingers delicately explored those firm muscles in front of her. They occasionally clenched and flexed at the shy, delicate caress. Zorin watched her for a few moments, her jaw set. It...tickled a little. Elsa seemed absolutely in awe by what she was doing. Zorin managed to smile a little. A REAL smile. Not her frightening grins when she was close to murdering a poor sod.

Ah, Elsa was such a child.

"Come on, Elsa. I'm not THAT terrifying, am I?" Zorin muttered, becoming a little impatient.

Elsa stared up at her, mildly unsettled by those words.

"Okay, forget I said that."

Satisfied, Elsa let out a chuckle. She expected Zorin to be cold to the touch - as how most stories made them out to be - but the vampire was actually quite warm. "I can't believe that I am here with you now," Elsa murmured, smiling. "It feels like a dream." She winced and gave another grin. "Oh! Sorry. I can get a little sappy at times. I know you hate that."

"Don't worry about it right now."

Zorin clenched her fingers at her sides, letting herself enjoy the touch before she abruptly grasped Elsa by the ribs and lifted her up into her lap. The woman yelped a little, surprised by the sudden action. She couldn't help but wrap her legs around Zorin's waist and stared at her, wide-eyed.

"Arms around my shoulders," Zorin ordered, thickly.

Elsa made the move to do so.

"Zorin, what...?" she began.

"To be fair, I haven't had much practice myself as of late," the vampire confessed, arching an eyebrow at her, "And if you keep doing that, I'm going to _really _lose control."

Elsa blushed a little when Zorin began to undo her jacket buttons...with her mouth.

"And if you make me lose control, that won't end well for you." Zorin emphasized this by biting on Elsa's buttons, undoing them with her tongue. "Since you're not a vampire yet, I don't want to risk breaking you. So I hope you appreciate the effort on my part."

"Oh my." Elsa commented, watching Zorin unbutton her with her teeth. "You have skill, I see."

"This is not the only thing I can do with my tongue and teeth. You'll find out soon."

The blush that touched Elsa's face was delightful. Positively delightful. It seemed to cover most of her body. When Zorin's hands managed to remove her jacket and shirt, Elsa's hands instinctively went to cover her breasts. Zorin made a disapproving sound and stopped her by batting her hands aside.

"Ah-ah-ah, get those hands down." she scolded. "I want to see all of you."

Sitting in another woman's lap with her chest exposed was unnerving, but Elsa made a conscious effort to fight it. So she pulled her hands down. Zorin smirked at the sight.

"Hm. Not bad." Zorin murmured.

Elsa smiled a little, still trying to make an effort not to hide away. "Thank you."

She placed her arms around Zorin's shoulders again while the older woman moved her nose lightly against her chest, taking in her scent. She could definitely smell Elsa's nervousness, but her intrigue and lust as well.

"Hmm, I can get used to this." Zorin crooned.

She began to explore with her tongue now and Elsa had to fight to keep her moans down. Her fingers kneaded Zorin's shoulders like a kitten. Zorin didn't entirely know why she tried to stay quiet.

"Let it out." she rasped, against Elsa's skin. "I want to hear it."

Elsa squirmed when she felt lips connect with one of her nipples. It sent a wash of almost unbearable heat to the place between her legs that made everything ache. She let out a hum of content and Zorin responded with a pleased noise of her own. She did not mind the sounds though. She found her noises rather precious.

She went straight to work, exploring the supple flesh before her with her tongue, leaving scorching paths across her chest and nipples. She stopped in front of a few scars along Elsa's chest and arms. Some of them looked like marks from the blows of a belt and she noticed Elsa visibly tense when she touched them. They obviously wouldn't have caused pain, but the way she moved... There was more of a deeper wound they still left.

Zorin felt her rage bubbling a little and she hissed sharply, trying to contain herself. The thought of that animal doing God knew with her was atrocious. It not only served as a reminder of her own humanity, but put an ungodly image of what had happened to Elsa in her mind as well. She would inquire about it at a later time. Even SHE knew when not to ask or intrude on such things.

_Filthy little pig... _she thought.

"Zorin?" Elsa inquired when the woman had stopped - she seemed distracted too. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Zorin groused. She guided Elsa onto her back and kissed her again.

Elsa noticed a change in her behavior. It seemed more aggressive now. Possessive. Not that she had much complaints, really. This roughness that Zorin granted her was a new and interesting change for her. She couldn't help but be a little curious about the change, but decided to ask at a later time. Not much point in ruining this.

"You're mine now." Zorin hissed, against her skin.

"I'm all right with that."

Zorin's lips found her throat, feeling the rushing pulse there. Elsa gasped and arched up, as if anticipating her fangs. They ached to pierce her skin so badly, it hurt. But she wouldn't. Not yet. No. Not until Elsa became a vampire. THEN she could take this further than she ever anticipated. The mere thought of it...

"_Mine_." Zorin growled.

She probably sounded childish, but she didn't care. And Elsa didn't seem to either.

Elsa ran her hands through Zorin's hair, teasing her scalp in a manner most pleasant to her larger lover. She began purring softly to encourage her. A non-spoken gesture meant to let her know that she was okay with whatever she wanted to do. She was afraid, yes, but content with who she was with. That was enough for her.

"Yours." Elsa gasped.

"Yeah..." Zorin was pleased to hear that.

"Only yours."

"Yeah."

Elsa peppered Zorin's face with little kisses and that seemed to excite the vampire in her arms. Zorin growled hungrily and continued undressing Elsa; she tugged off her trousers, after struggling with them a few times, earning a small giggle from the younger woman.

She took Elsa's breasts in her hands and kissed one before flicking her tongue against Elsa's nipple, making the woman squirm beneath her.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Elsa froze and Zorin tensed. She turned her focus to the door, furious at the interruption.

"This had better be good." she snarled.

"First Lieutenant," It was Caspar. "I wanted to make sure that Elsa was doing well. Have you seen her?"

Zorin glanced at Elsa, who tried so hard to hold back a laugh.

"She's fine, dammit," Zorin called, "But she's in the middle of doing something." She arched her eyebrows, amused when Elsa mouthed "you" and bared her fangs with a thirsty grin before returning to Caspar's focus. "So come back later. Understood?"

"I thought - "

"_Understood?_"

"Yes, First Lieutenant."

Caspar's footsteps could be heard as he walked away. Elsa giggled a little and Zorin rubbed her face with one hand, annoyed. Well that was ONE WAY to really put a damper on their escapades...

"Does your entire family have poor timing like that?" she muttered.

"Only the best ones." Elsa joked.

Zorin rolled her eyes with a murmur. She leaned down and met Elsa's lips for a kiss. The younger woman strained upwards to meet it. Zorin felt a prickle of heat rush down her back at the sound of Elsa's little mew of pleasure when she moved her lips lower. It had been quite a long time since anyone made sounds like that for her. She had almost forgotten what physical pleasure like this felt like.

Dare she admit it, Zorin felt excited.

She gave Elsa a heated stare of lust before moving lower. A few kisses to her pelvic bone and Elsa arched up with a particularly loud gasp when she felt that wet tongue touch her between her legs. The sound must have thoroughly pleased Zorin, as the vampire let out a deep, throaty noise, running one of her hands up Elsa's chest while using her other hand to explore more sensitive areas.

"Hmm, you're pretty wet." Zorin hissed, lecherously. "I must be THAT good."

Elsa gave her a crooked grin. "I guess you must be."

Zorin chuckled wickedly.

She started with one finger, and then slid right back into her with two. The soft, pleased moans that Elsa's uttered made her own legs quiver with anticipation. She told herself to have control. After all, she had to see just how well she could bring Elsa over the edge.

"Oh God..." Elsa managed.

"God has nothing to do with this."

Elsa writhed and moaned, holding onto the hand at her chest while that tongue and those other fingers worked her over. Zorin occasionally glanced up to watch her expressions; a bite of her lower lip, a smile of pleasure, a twitch and arch of her eyebrows when she found a particularly good spot...

Sooner than Zorin expected, she could tell Elsa was slowly coming undone. Virgins typically couldn't go very long the first time around, so that really shouldn't have surprised her much. Elsa was squirming in her grasp. Her breathing hitched, her legs trembled and she began to pant.

"Yes..." Elsa gasped, her voice light with impending orgasm. She started to chant frantically, straining. "Yes, yes, yes. There! There!"

"Are you going to come?"

"_Yes! _Please!"

Ah. The way she pleaded. That was enough for her. So Zorin granted her her much-needed release.

When she came, it was spectacular; she was certainly not subtle about it either. She arched against Zorin's mouth, letting out a fierce cry that sent a wash of heat down the vampire's back. While she was still shaking from her orgasm, Zorin met her lips with her own and Elsa could taste herself against the vampire's tongue. Eventually, Zorin's rubbed her nose against Elsa's cheek, grinning that cheeky grin of hers.

"Hmm, see how sweet you taste?" Zorin purred.

Elsa blushed and took a moment to catch her breath. "I didn't mean to have that happen so quick."

That confused Zorin a little. "Apologizing for coming too fast? That's stupid." she said. "Don't worry about it. We're not done yet."

Zorin's voice was thick and ragged now, as if she had run hundreds of miles - as a human. But the pent-up lust that followed in her words made Elsa shudder with anticipation.

"I'm not very gentle while on top," Zorin warned, kicking off her trousers. "Just a friendly warning."

Elsa knew where this was going and smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." she told her. She reached for the vampire. "Come here. You need me. I can tell."

Zorin hissed and covered Elsa with her entire body, pressing her chest down on hers. She could actually hear Elsa's heartbeat as it began to speed up against her own chest. She took one of the younger woman's legs and hooked it around her waist, bringing their crotches together.

Finally, she began to rock against Elsa; grinding against her. Elsa let out a throaty sound and Zorin grinned.

Oh. _Oh_, that was nice. Elsa wrapped her arms around Zorin's back, fingernails digging into the flesh of her vampire partner. Zorin snarled softly, lowering her head to rest against the place closest to Elsa's ear. She kept her hands over Elsa's head, perhaps concerned they would hurt her in the heat of the moment. Either way, it was a simple gesture that Elsa appreciated.

Elsa closed her eyes, leaning her head back to enjoy what was happening. It was just a subtle rocking of their bodies that gently fanned the flames slowly heating between them. Even after having one hell of an orgasm, Elsa could feel herself getting close already.

Zorin hissed sharply, clutching the sheets. "Fuck..." she gasped.

Elsa was beginning to have difficulty thinking, but she grinned and spoke, breathless. Her nails kneaded the skin of Zorin's back. "That's the idea..." she told her.

She felt Zorin grin against her ear. "S-Shut up."

Elsa purred softly, rocking against Zorin's movements. The vampire gave a thick, choked groan, moving harder against her, pushing them both toward the inevitable. She wasn't kidding when she said she wasn't gentle. But Elsa didn't mind it. She could take whatever Zorin gave her. That had already been proven as fact.

Elsa moaned, biting her lip and burying her face in Zorin's shoulder, able to see the muscles tense and flex with each movement her larger lover made. After a few moments, she was barely able to manage Zorin's name through a cry of pleasure.

"My name..." Zorin hissed, as if surprised to hear it. "Call it again..."

Elsa attempted it once more through a pleading mewl.

"Louder!"

Elsa cried out her name louder at Zorin's demand.

Zorin gasped against her ear, shuddering in Elsa's arms. Her fingers clenched the sheets so tightly, Elsa could hear the joints cracking.

"You're mine..." Zorin snarled, obviously getting close.

"I'm yours." Elsa moaned.

"Mine!"

"Yes... God yes!"

When she heard Zorin's breath slowly start to quicken against her ear, she knew it was only a matter of time before she came undone. And she wanted to see it. So she took Zorin's head in both hands and lifted it from her shoulder to watch her face, just in time to see the vampire's features twist.

"So...you want to play that way..." Zorin rasped.

She pressed their foreheads together and Elsa watched as Zorin's features changed; her jaw clenched tight, she appeared to look like she was close to weeping and it was quite startling because she had no idea the vampire could look like that. They strove for release and it didn't take that much longer to find it.

When Zorin finally came undone, it was absolutely amazing to Elsa; a fierce, broken shout, a flash of fang and a few following jerks of her hips to ride out the last vestiges of her orgasm. Elsa had followed nearly a second later, crying out her lover's name with abandon.

She didn't even mind when the vampire collapsed on top of her. She DEFINITELY didn't mind the breathless, heavy choking gasps from her either.

Elsa was still shaking, so she held Zorin in her arms to calm them both.


	8. VIII

**~O~**

**VIII**

"Fuck... I needed that. You have NO idea."

Elsa smiled brightly at the breathless response from the older woman, after they had spent a good while in that same position. Well, Zorin had been laying on top of her for a few moments and Elsa had no complaints. She just casually ran her hand up and down Zorin's back, enjoying the moment.

Eventually though, she watched Zorin prop her head up in one hand. Besides the absolute regal sweep of her head, she flashed her fangs at Elsa and the younger woman cringed shyly a little. Zorin let out a small laugh.

"Still shy around me, huh?" she guessed.

"Well, you DID beat me on the first date," Elsa joked. Her features were a little uneasy now. "AND insulted me every chance you had. We can't forget about the absolute death threats of my physical well-being." There was a smile in her voice now. "But I suspect we're passed that."

Zorin shrugged with a thoughtful murmur. "Perhaps."

The younger woman squirmed a little beneath Zorin. "Oh... I got sweat all over you..." she said, glancing down between them.

"You are lying in my bed, after a good fucking and THAT is what you're worried about?" Zorin quipped. She rolled her eyes. "Typical Elsa. Sometimes I don't know what to do with you."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'd have ideas." Elsa teased, affectionately.

Zorin stared at her for a moment before grinning. She let Elsa roll on her side to get comfortable before she began running her fingertips up and down the length of her. She smirked, flashing a show of fang, proud of her handiwork. Elsa seemed content enough. She seemed to be thinking about something and looked at Zorin curiously.

"How long was that for you?" Elsa asked.

Zorin arched an eyebrow at the question and tilted her head.

"What?" Elsa laughed. "I'm curious."

"Well...if you MUST know, Liebchen... I haven't had a good piece of ass in fifty years."

"That is ENTIRELY too long to go without sex."

"You're the virgin here, not me. Oops. _Were _the virgin."

"Yes, but I took care of my sexual tension. I may have been a virgin, but I did know what an orgasm was like, Zorin. What? Oh, don't look at me like that. Everyone masturbates. I don't care what the church says."

Zorin flashed a toothy grin and laughed a little bit. "I'd pay good money to see you get yourself off."

Elsa blushed and gave Zorin's thigh a good smack. "I bet you would."

Zorin made an amused sound and continued running her fingers up and down Elsa's side. It gave her a good view of some of the scars. "I take it you're pleased then?" she crooned, her rough voice smoother.

"Well...pleased doesn't begin to cover it, really..." Elsa said, chuckling.

Zorin chuckled.

"Just wait until you become a vampire." Zorin said, grinning. A hunger lit her eyes. "Then we can REALLY have some fun."

The lust in Zorin's voice made her shiver. The goosebumps that raised on her skin were painfully obvious.

"I would probably be bad at it."

"You did fine for your first time."

"Not THAT. I mean, being a vampire."

"Hm. Doubtful. I thought I would be, at firs - What? I did. Now? I'm just amazing."

Elsa blushed a little, grinning back. "That you are."

Zorin seemed to think about something before frowning now. "That actually reminds me," she said, "If you ever try anything like what you did with Rip again; next time, I WILL kill you."

"Getting a bit jealous, are we?"

"I'm VERY jealous."

Elsa laughed a little, but nodded when she realized Zorin didn't share in her amusement - she was serious. "I'm sorry. I'm a one-woman girl. You need not worry about that." When she noticed Zorin didn't look convinced, she rubbed the vampire's arm soothingly. "I am. Rip's just a friend. But to be honest, it was rather amusing though."

Zorin frowned down at her, annoyed. "I don't have time to watch you every step of the way. Or make sure you don't go necking it with some other bitch."

"I won't. I promise. I'm all yours, remember?"

Zorin rolled her eyes, but seemed satisfied enough. "Good."

Elsa murmured with content and Zorin traced her collar bone with one finger. When she passed the scars, Elsa visibly flinched.

"Now I know that didn't hurt..." Zorin said.

"I know. It's hard having them touched sometimes."

"Did that ringleader do this?"

"...No."

Zorin arched an eyebrow at her and Elsa smiled, though it seemed forced a little now.

"Truth be told, he was scared to go anywhere near me," she said. "He hated the sight of my rats - maybe even feared them, but I did make him plenty of money."

"I didn't go too far back when I delved into your memories," Zorin mused. "Where did you get them?"

Elsa looked away with a sigh.

"Elsa, where did you get them?" Zorin repeated, frowning now.

For some reason, Elsa began to tell Zorin about him. About the touching she had dealt with by her father. About the time he made her walk around the house naked when she was ten years old. It was strange, but as she told the other woman, she began to feel...better. Though she failed to notice the hateful, frightening look on Zorin's face.

"It wasn't much, really." Elsa said, quietly; she fidgeted with the sheets a little to distract herself. "Just touching. Watching. Sometimes I was beaten for the little things, but nothing TOO far came to pass - you know. I understand most young girls deal in much worse than I. Sometimes I think that I could have had it even worse like them."

Zorin had one fist clenched and her thumb rubbed her fingers slightly.

"Did you speak of it to anyone?" she asked.

Elsa shrugged, uttering a noncommittal sound. But it was a lie. "My mother. She did not believe me."

"And?"

"I found the courage to run away. Well, if you could call it an act of courage, anyway. I joined the circus. I never saw them again."

"He never looked for you?"

"No."

Zorin's lips tightened. Her fist clenched so tightly, the knuckles cracked.

"It's all right, really." Elsa said, shrugging her shoulders. "I am here, now. Becoming stronger than I ever was in the past. I'm not afraid as I had once been. So as you said, nothing of the past can change, even if we want it to."

Zorin closed her eyes briefly, collecting herself from losing her temper. Not because of Elsa - it wasn't her fault. But once again...such a terrible memory the girl shared came far too close to home than she wanted. She felt a bubbling hatred and fury swirling like a raging typhoon within her breast. Oh, she shouldn't have told her that. No. She should have just kept it quiet... Elsa caught this look and frowned.

"Zorin?" she asked.

The vampire blinked rapidly and failed to notice she had been clenching the end of the bed so tightly, it was creaking. Finally, she managed to relax when Elsa barely touched her shoulder.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." Zorin said.

Elsa looked a little confused. "Oh...okay."

Eventually, she looked over her shoulder and laughed a little. Zorin frowned and followed her gaze. She discovered that the sheets were in tatters where she had grabbed them in the heat of the moment.

"Wow..." Elsa said, laughing.

"To think, that could have been your hands," Zorin murmured.

"Well..." Elsa said, straightening a little in the bed. "I should get some sleep. The Doctor insisted on it. He tells me that it's best to get as much rest as I can before the conversion process."

"It's true."

"Will it hurt?"

"You'll be unconscious for a few days, but yes, it'll hurt a little when you wake."

Elsa looked surprised.

"Yeah. It's not entirely pleasant, but after a while, you'll barely notice it at all. Trust me."

Elsa seemed to think about this. "I see."

She closed her eyes and Zorin exhaled, rolling onto her back. "Just get some sleep. We can talk a little more before the process tomorrow. To prepare you for it."

"Thank you."

They were quiet for a while.

"Zorin?"

"...Yeah?"

"...you're kind of cute when you blush." Elsa whispered, grinning.

"ELSA!" Zorin barked.

Eventually, Elsa fell asleep, somehow snuggled up against the vampire. She seemed to take extreme comfort in her breasts - which Zorin found inwardly hilarious. She lightly brushed some hair away from Elsa's face and watched the woman lightly twitch her lips in her sleep.

After getting to know her a bit, Zorin discovered that maybe she wasn't so bad after all. She was cute...in a weird little way. A pain in the ass in most cases too. Zorin rarely found much interest in pursuing anything with another, but Elsa sort of twisted her arm - so to speak. She smirked when Elsa smiled a little in her sleep and tightened her hold on Zorin's waist.

_I think you'll be a damn good vampire, Liebchen._

O

Elsa was nervous, laying on the cold table.

The Doctor looked down at her. "Are you all right, Elsa?" he asked.

"Fine. Just fine." she said, "A little nervous."

"Don't worry. I've done this procedure time and time again." the Doctor assured her. "You'll come out of it as well as Zorin or any of the other vampires I've made."

Elsa smiled nervously, but nodded.

"Now then, close your eyes and relax." the Doctor said, bringing a mask to her face.

That was the last thing Elsa saw before her vision dimmed and eventually faded to black.

She didn't expect to dream.

_Elsa was walking through a field before she came up to an enormous rat. It was bigger than a city bus and its fur was black, glossy and smooth. It had beady, red eyes and large, sharp teeth. Whatever this rat was, it seemed to carry an unholy level of human intellect in its gaze._

_"Hello, Elsa." the rat said, in a deep, masculine voice._

_Her eyes widened. "You can talk?"_

_"I've always been talking," the rat said, his whiskers twitching. "You hear us all the time. We come to your aid when you play the song in your mind. We speak in your mind and you alone can hear us. You're surprised to hear me talking to you now?"_

_"Well, no, but..." Elsa murmured, embarrassed. "Never like this. Out loud, I mean."_

_The rat tilted his head. "Do you know why you're doing this, Elsa?"_

_"Doing what?"_

_"Becoming a vampire. Is it because you think it'll make you stronger? Or is it for the woman?"_

_Elsa sighed, rubbing her face with one hand. "I'm losing it. That's it. This is the end for me," she muttered, turning to go. "I've gone crazy. Time to check in to a suitable hospital then..."_

_She didn't notice the rats flying around her in her dream. _

_Actually, she did. She just made an effort to ignore it._

_One of the rats flew by her, tiny bird wings on its back flapping. It spoke in a voice that sounded similar to Jan. It even had blue fur - the same color as his jacket._

_"Bitch. Where the FUCK you walking to?" the rat snapped._

_"Shut up." Elsa shot back._

_Another rat joined in. It spoke in Luke's voice and even had white fur. "Leave her alone, Jan," it said, to the other rat. "Let her decide what she wants."_

_Elsa looked up at a rat with brown fur and a patch of red on its shoulder. It spoke it Schrodinger's voice, happy and delighted. "Poor little Elsa doesn't know what she wants!"_

_The woman glared at the group of rats who joined in. They flew there in front of her and she began to realize that each rat looked somewhat like the members of Millennium. _

_A rat with tiny glasses and thick, black fur - Rip Van Winkle._

_A rat with brown and white fur and red eyes - the Captain._

_A chubby white rat with glasses - the Major._

_An orange rat with a missing eye and fur missing from its left hand - Zorin Blitz. _

_"Do whatever the fuck you want to do, Elsa." the orange rat snapped - in Zorin's voice. "I'll still be here regardless. Hell, we can both fuck shit up together in this war."_

_Elsa managed to smile. "I guess so."_

_"Now you know you're the best performer of this era!"_

_Elsa looked over and spotted a female rat dressed distinctly similar to Ethel Merman. She made a face and spotted several iconic figures in theater and music show up...as rats._

_Several of them had been important to her growth in her own performances. _

_"This is ridiculous..." Elsa muttered, "I'm waking up now."_

_"Are you really, Elsa?" the giant rat hissed, in a terrifying voice now; it sounded positively evil, dripping with all the venom of a hatred she was painfully familiar with. In herself. The hate she tried to hide. "Wake up to the reality of what you truly are. Understand that in this world, we are the vermin to them. Show them the unbiased truth."_

O

Elsa was lying on the table, her eyes closed and her limbs strapped down. Several soldiers were stationed near the exits of the lab, to make certain that nothing would go wrong.

Zorin and the Doctor watched her.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" the Doctor asked.

Zorin nodded. "I want to be the first thing she sees when she wakes."

She was anxious those passing seconds. She did not know how Elsa would react to her change. Each being was different when the Doctor chipped them. Rip had torn apart the Doctor's office during her transformation. While funny, it was inconvenient.

"Her vitals are steady," the Doctor said, watching the monitors, "Ah, her heart is strong. Can you hear it? She will make for a powerful vampire."

There was a faint twitch of Elsa's fingers and the sight was seen by the watchers.

"She's waking." The Doctor said, cautious.

Elsa's eyes fluttered open, but barely. She moved her head slightly and looked like she was in great pain. She looked around, her fangs displayed in a hiss. Zorin moved slowly to her side, as if approaching a wild animal. This would take a great deal of caution. She wasn't stupid to approach a freshly chipped vampire without preparation.

But she had her own idea of how she would deal with this.

"Take off her restraints." Zorin ordered.

The Doctor glanced warily from Elsa to Zorin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Take them off."

"She could run."

"I'll catch her."

The Doctor saw no point in argument. So he carefully moved to Elsa's side and removed the leather straps that held her down. Elsa barely moved and her fingers slightly jerked. He backed away, well out of her reach.

Her throat was on fire.

_I'm dying. Help me..._

At least, that was the thought she had and the dizzying sensation of agony that lanced through her head and body. It felt like someone had let off several hundred firecrackers beneath her skin. Oh God, it hurt. Everything hurt. Even the slightest breath lit fire in her lungs. She couldn't even see where she was; everything was hazy...

Then, she screamed.

It sounded like one of her rats when they had been run over by a car tire.

Zorin winced at the sound and moved quickly, just as Elsa was sitting up. She grabbed her arms and Elsa's hands immediately seized Zorin's wrists, attempting to push her away. Those nails digging into her skin felt like a bear trap. Elsa shrieked again, though this time, it sounded like she was terrified, snapping her teeth like a wild animal.

"Elsa!" she spat, struggling to hold the young vampire. "It's me! It's me!"

The soldiers aimed their guns at Elsa and Zorin glared at them.

"Stand down, I have this!" she ordered.

"But sir - "

"I SAID, FUCKING STAND DOWN!"

Elsa shrieked again, her mouth practically dripping with saliva. Her fingernails dug deep into Zorin's skin, drawing rivers of blood. A few of the soldiers reacted to the sight, but Zorin didn't let it bother her. She had dealt in pain worse than that. Though a young vampire was powerful, almost stronger than an older one.

However, the senses were quite important in bringing a vampire back to reality. If she recognized her smell and the feel of her, Elsa would - hopefully - calm down. It was almost sad how she actually had someone to help her through it. Zorin had to ride through the motions on her own. But she pushed that aside and spoke sternly down at the younger woman.

"Elsa, if there's anything of you still in there, you'd better pay attention," she warned, "These men are armed with silver bullets and know to shoot a feral vampire if need be. It'll hurt like a bitch. So unless you want to die, you'd better find yourself. And fast."

Elsa screamed and snapped her fangs in her face. The horrid look she gave her...it was reminiscent of the Captain just before he transformed; a feral, curled-lipped grimace that displayed fully-pronounced fangs. Zorin knew having her face near that mouth was dangerous, but she wasn't about to back down.

Thinking a different approach might work, she rubbed her chest against the smaller vampire's, letting her take in her familiar feel and scent. Elsa leaned forward a little, her wide and furious eyes focused on Zorin. She was looking at her, but not entirely seeing her.

Her nostrils fluttered and she began to sniff around Zorin like a cautious animal; she even brought her nose close to the older woman's neck, scenting there as well. Being unable to see properly, she was using her new, heightened sense of smell to understand. It was a typical sight. The other vampire remained still, knowing a single abrupt movement would be the end of her face.

She moved forward, taking it very slow. Elsa jerked her head back once, like a startled horse. But Zorin gently and carefully rubbed her mouth against hers, and the younger vampire groaned quietly, her teeth chattering behind her lips. Finally, they parted a little and she barely scraped the tips of her fangs against Zorin's chin.

Zorin made a low sound - involuntary and Elsa's eyes flickered up at it.

They were still wide, feral and crazed; but a small, curious sound escaped her now, like the trilling of a bird. She looked at Zorin as if to ask "Mine?"

_Yeah, you know who it is, don't you?_

"Good girl..." Zorin crooned.

Elsa growled in the back of her throat and she eventually released her death-grip on Zorin's arms. They moved across her lower back and gripped the muscles there. Zorin slipped a leg between Elsa's, grinding a little and she gasped, a thick, wet sound.

"All right?" Zorin questioned, tilting her head at her.

It was barely there, but a small nod answered her. She whispered something in Zorin's ear that the others didn't hear. It made Zorin smile and nod. The Doctor relaxed with a sigh of relief. He retrieved a package of blood from a cooler.

"We'll need to work carefully," he said, "Her stomach isn't entirely used to consuming blood yet."

Elsa looked around, almost like she was attempting to recognize the place before she winced, holding her throat. Her fangs were still quite pronounced.

"I know, it probably hurts like hell, doesn't it?" Zorin said, catching the action. "Don't worry. You just need a good meal in you. It'll go away in time."

The Doctor set the pack of blood down beside Elsa and the newborn vampire slowly reached out, taking it into her hand. Zorin backed away a bit to give her space while she opened it up and took a delicate sniff. She extended her tongue and let a drop of blood drop into it.

The smile that touched her face relaxed those watching her. It looked like one of her old smiles as she drank, and drank, and drank. A little bit of blood poured down the corner of her mouth, but it didn't seem to bother her. When she was done, she looked at the Doctor with a new pink flush to her cheeks. She licked her lips and wiped her mouth.

"I'm still thirsty..."

"I bet." Zorin said. "Come. We'll find you a good meal."

The Doctor followed them as they made their way out of the operating room. "Take it slow, Elsa," he warned, "If you move too quickly, you'll end up having all of your food out on the floor."

"She'll be fine," Zorin said. She let Elsa hang on her arm. "Isn't that right, Elsa?"

The younger vampire grimaced a little. "It's..." The rest was lost in a mumble.

Zorin frowned down at her. "What's that?"

"It's coming back up!" Elsa groaned.

Zorin's eyes widened. "Why didn't you say so?" she cried, rushing Elsa to another room. "GO! GO!"

The Doctor groaned and covered his face with one hand, listening to the sounds of Elsa vomiting in a garbage can. When she stepped out of the room, she looked sick. She held the small can in her arms, underneath her chin. Zorin pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I told you to take it slow, Elsa." the Doctor told her.

"I think I puked on your documents."

The Doctor gave a cry and rushed into the room she'd been in. "No! Not my paperwork!"

When he disappeared inside, Zorin and Elsa winced at the louder yell that followed.

"AH! You DID throw up on them!"

O

Elsa was taken to a room filled with bodies. Some of them were still alive. A few other vampire soldiers seemed to be enjoying feeding from their corpses and one of them gestured to her, waving.

"Ah! Elsa! Come!" he greeted, cheerfully beckoning for her. "There's plenty to go around!"

Elsa looked at Zorin for permission and the other woman nodded.

She carefully approached and knelt down between two soldiers. The smell of blood made her mouth water and she had to make a conscious effort not to dive right in like a wild animal. Caspar was among them and he grinned, his mouth covered in blood. He scooted over to her.

"Ah! You look better than ever, my dear granddaughter!" he said. "How are you feeling?"

Elsa winced. "I've been better."

"Trust me, it'll get easier."

One of the soldiers moved to a man who was still alive. He was bound and gagged, whimpering in terror. The soldier started to open his mouth to feed, but Zorin stopped him.

"Wait," she said, "Let Elsa have that one."

Elsa looked a little surprised and the soldier backed down at Zorin's order. Elsa gave Zorin a glance and the older vampire nodded her approval. She made her way to the man and watched the fear heighten in his gaze. Zorin knelt down to her side and smiled.

"This is who you are now. Top of the chain," she told her.

Elsa nodded her head. She sniffed the frightened man a few times before she sank her fangs into his throat. He uttered a muffled scream that died when blood filled his lungs and poured from the gag that covered his mouth. Zorin grinned at the sight and leaned forward, whispering in Elsa's ear.

"No human can hurt you any longer. They're yours to savor." she purred, brushing a bit of hair behind Elsa's ear. "All yours..."

Elsa shut her eyes as she continued to feed, taken in by the warmth of the blood flowing down her throat and Zorin's near seductive words. She could feel her hands still on her back while she fed. It was strange, but the blood that filled her belly pushed back the horrible pain. She almost felt...powerful, strong enough to take on the world.

It was an amazing change to what she had once been.

When she finally managed to pull away, she let out a deep, throaty groan.

"Had you fill, my dear?" Caspar asked, moving to Elsa's other side.

"Yeah. I think so." Elsa murmured, licking her lips.

"Good." Caspar gestured to the other soldiers and they moved to finish the man off.

Elsa went to wipe her mouth, but Zorin stopped her hand and met her blood-soaked lips with hers. Elsa made a surprised sound and gripped her tightly. The soldiers watched the scene rather awkwardly, but Caspar smiled, ultimately pleased by the sight of his granddaughter happy for a change.

"Oh. All right." a soldier said, uncomfortable, "This is happening."

O

The Doctor scribbled some notes on a clipboard while Elsa performed laps at inhuman speed around the building. He pulled out a stopwatch and yelled out "TIME". Elsa skidded to a halt and ended up bowling uncontrollably head over heels a few feet away before crashing into a few other soldiers.

"Ah, you have GOT to work on your stop, Elsa." the Doctor said, watching her climb to her feet. "Other than that, your speed is perfection."

"I don't know how to stop." Elsa protested - she gave the soldiers she had crashed into a few apologies as they departed before returning attention to the Doctor. "Everything just...moves so quickly."

"That's all right. You train to learn. That is how you improve, Elsa. This is why I have Luke Valentine here with me," the Doctor said, gesturing to the vampire in question beside him. "He's the fastest vampire Millennium has to offer. He can teach you well how to control your speed."

Luke smiled. "I'd be honored."

Elsa seemed a little okay with that. "How do you do it?" she asked.

"Take my hand. I'll show you." Luke said.

Elsa did what he said and both vampire sprinted in blurs of white light. Well, Elsa couldn't keep up with him nearly as well as she thought, but she did find it useful when he showed her precisely when to stop when she had to. Once they made several trips around the compound, Elsa found it easier to stop.

She grinned. "I did it." Then, she waved in Zorin's direction - the other vampire was talking with the Captain and glanced up when Elsa called to her. "Zorin, I stopped without hurting anyone!"

Zorin smirked and shook her head.

"Well, you're getting better, but you still have a little ways to go yet," Luke told the young vampire. "I don't doubt you'll be a formidable vampire."

Jan approached them. "Hey bro! The game's on. Wanna watch it with - Hey, Elsa. You wanna watch the game with us? Maybe get a few roaches finished?"

Elsa laughed a little and put her hands on her hips. "I'm a lesbian, Jan. That doesn't mean I like sports."

"All right, whatevs," Jan said, holding up two hands. Then, he brightened. "Hey! I had a thought."

"That's a shocking revelation..." Luke quipped.

"Anyway..." Jan snapped, giving him a look before smirking at Elsa. "You're a vampire now. One of us special ones. Let's see if you can do anything else."

Elsa glanced over at Zorin, who watched the scene with vague interest. But she didn't make a move to interfere with it either.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, frowning at him.

"Come on!" Jan taunted. "Let's see a little bit!"

He beckoned with two hands now, grinning and showing his fangs. Elsa laughed a little and looked at Luke.

"Is he serious?" she asked.

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Unfortunately..."

"Well, I don't really know what else I can do just yet," Elsa told the younger Valentine brother. "So I don't see how that would really - Would you PLEASE stop doing that silly dance?"

"Come on, rat girl!" Jan teased, "Show me what you're made of."

Zorin started to take a step forward, but Elsa shook a finger discreetly at her; it was a silent gesture to tell her she was all right with what was happening and could properly handle it. She smiled at Jan and watched his movements for a few moments.

"Uhm, I don't think my rats would be too happy with that." she said.

Jan glanced down and noticed that he was surrounded by rats of every shape, size and color. They had circled the three and were hissing softly, almost menacingly.

The Doctor grinned and Zorin laughed.

"You called your fucking rats?" Jan cried, angry. "That's fucking cheap!"

Elsa laughed a little. "You did say to show you what I'm made of. Rats are my friends...and my weapons."

"That's bullshit."

One of the rats scurried up Elsa's arm at a German command and she smiled, happily stroking its head with one finger. "Maybe so, but they don't seem to complain. Plus this one thinks you have a potty mouth."

Luke laughed and Jan waved that off.

"Ah, fuck this." he snapped. "I got better shit to do anyway."

"Like jerking off?" Luke quipped.

"Exactly." Jan looked serious now.

Elsa couldn't help her laugh.

With her rats as her weapons, she had earned herself the title of "_Dame Ratte_" by some. Zorin hated the nickname, but Elsa didn't mind it. In fact, she was happy to have finally found some sort of common ground with her fellow Last Battalion warriors.

And Zorin had been true to her word about having fun once Elsa had been chipped.

The younger vampire was working on cleaning a table and sniffed the air slightly when Zorin entered. She turned around, still holding the wash cloth when she felt Zorin's hands on her shoulders.

"The Doctor asked me to clean this table," Elsa said. She scratched the table with one nail. "There's a damn spot here I can't get."

Zorin took the cloth from her hand and casually tossed it aside. Elsa raised an eyebrow and before she knew it, Zorin's mouth was on hers. She made a surprised sound, but immediately melted into it, wrapping her arms around the other woman's shoulders. The kiss was a distraction as one of Zorin's hands lingered over her belt buckle. She tugged Elsa's shirt free from it a little so she could touch the younger woman's bare skin.

Elsa murmured her approval, her fangs scraping against Zorin's lower lip. Her kisses were still a little clumsy and inexperienced, but she was learning quickly in the art of it.

Zorin's fingertips just lightly rubbed her abdomen before her hand quickly slid into Elsa's trousers without warning. Elsa arched a bit, giving a particularly loud, surprised gasp. She leaned back against the table for support.

A wicked chuckle filled her ear.

Elsa squirmed with a soft moan, leaning her head back to give Zorin better access to her neck while the older vampire kissed and licked her.

"Turn around." Zorin hissed, a grin in her voice.

Elsa did as she asked and turned, gripping the table in front of her as the older vampire began to resume her task with her fingers. She could feel the warmth of Zorin against her back as the other vampire leaned over her, smirking.

"How do you feel about me fucking you right here?" she crooned.

Elsa laughed softly, shivering when she felt that hand move delightful circles between her legs. "I'm certainly not opposed to it."

"Good."

Zorin brought her fingers to Elsa's lips, letting her wet them thoroughly with her tongue before returning to her task at hand. It was delightful up until the soft sound of someone clearing their throat made her heart stop.

The Doctor was standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. Elsa let her head fall on the table, her face bright red.

"What?" Zorin asked, shrugging. "You've never seen two women in this position before?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "If you needed to be alone, you should have just asked..."

"That's it...I'd like to be shot now..." Elsa mumbled, completely embarrassed.


	9. IX

**~O~**

**IX**

_April, 26th_

"Do it!"

Elsa laughed, embarrassed at Jan's persistence. "Oh, I couldn't. It's...wrong."

Jan took a deep inhale of his blunt. "Come on! It's easy! Just do it!"

Elsa glanced at Luke, who calmly shrugged his shoulders in response to Jan's insistence. Rip was sitting beside her and she and Jan began to chant "do it" over and over again. She giggled a little before nodding her head.

"Just say it." Jan pressed. "It's easy. Watch me." He made a funny face and sucked on his lower lip as he put strong emphasis on his next word. "FFFFFFUCK."

Elsa bit her lip before she barely squeaked out "fuck."

"Yeah! There you go! Baby steps!" Jan laughed. "Now the next step is to mix that shit up. Say someone's getting up in your shit, you can say something like, 'Hey, fucknuts! Step off my dick, asshole'!"

Elsa laughed, blushing. She felt completely scandalous for even thinking of talking like that.

"Oh my God..." she said, shaking her head.

Jan offered her the blunt. "Want a hit?"

"No, I don't smoke."

"Come on!" Jan urged. "One hit won't kill you."

Elsa smiled weakly and took the offering. She hesitated for a moment before bringing the end of the blunt to her lips. She took a deep inhale of it and started coughing several times.

Jan laughed and snatched the blunt from her. "Shit, man; you take it like a bitch!"

Elsa coughed several times before wincing, speaking through a tightened voice. "Have any of you seen Zorin? I haven't seen her all - " A cough. " - Oh God, that's awful - morning."

Those sitting around her glanced warily to each other.

"Uh...Zorin?" Jan said, dodging her stare, "Uh, I think she's dead, man."

Luke slapped him across the back of the head.

"What the fuck, bro?" Jan spat.

Luke gave Elsa an aplogetic look. "Forgive my brother; he's incredibly stupid," he said. He exhaled and crossed his legs. "To be honest, Elsa; it's best that you leave her alone for today."

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked, clearing her throat a few times.

Rip patted her shoulder. "Don't ask questions, Elsa. Just take our word for it."

"Yeah, she said that if she had to warn me about it again, she'd give me a colonoscopy with her fucked-up weapon," Jan quipped.

Elsa clenched her fangs. She felt dizzy from the blunt she had smoked. "Oh...oh no..." she stammered, "I think there's wasps in my gums."

Jan grinned at Rip. "She's cool. That happened to me the first time."

Elsa shook her head rapidly to be rid of the sensation. "Can you just contact her?"

"No way! I'm not about to be chased by the Vin Diesel of lesbians!" Jan cried, glaring at her. He crossed his legs and shook his head. "Tough shit, kitty puncher. I ain't doing it."

Luke glanced down at his watch. "We need to get to work anyway. We have that hit in Paris."

"Ooh, right!" Jan said, jumping to his feet.

Elsa sighed, groaning. She covered her face with two hands. "Why must you all taunt me about it? I'm worried about her and you are treating it like it's nothing."

Rip patted her back. "Elsa, she does this every year. She's fine."

O

No one really explained the day to her.

Elsa hadn't really questioned why today was different, until she failed to see Zorin around for most of the evening that followed. She hadn't even spoken to her since departing, and it was a little confusing. Not to mention worrying as well.

When she asked Rip once more about it, the other vampire simply avoided the question. The two women spent the time in Rip's room and the older vampire was gathering a few boxes of vinyls.

"There are just some things about Zorin Blitz that you're best not knowing," Rip said, making a pained face, "Most of us just know to deal with this day as it comes."

Elsa frowned, watching Rip as she carefully organized a few music disks now. "But why wouldn't she talk about it?"

"Zorin is not the type to talk about her feelings, dearie," Rip said. "Remember, she's the kind to take out her frustrations on everyone else. She leaves for a little while and comes back the next day, before dawn. It's happened every year."

"Is it bad?"

Rip made a face. "Oh yes, it's quite bad. She doesn't like to talk about it."

"Hm. Maybe I should."

"I wouldn't advise it." Rip warned. "She's a real nasty one on normal days. But this one turns her into a real hellbeast. For your sake, take my advice."

Elsa found it strange how Rip seemed so serious about this all of a sudden. She was troubled by this change in behavior because even in the most serious of situations, Rip was usually light-hearted about everything.

"Can you tell me anything?" Elsa asked.

Rip stopped searching and stared at her sadly. "Well...let's just say that Zorin trusted the wrong person and it really ruined things for her. That's all I can tell you."

O

Later on, Elsa began rummaging through some documents. Her rats scurried about to assist, though most of them seemed intent on trying to eat the aged papers.

Elsa snatched one from beneath a rat. "Now, sweetie. I told you; I need those papers." she told the animal. "Yes, I know I raised my voice earlier, but you were leaving your little 'gifts' around them. I need these documents. I can't have you relieving yourselves everywhere. We talked about this."

She walked to her window to set some of the papers aside, but spotted Zorin walking into the forest. She frowned curiously before turning to retrieve her coat.

A single rat was perched on her window and she sighed down at the animal.

"No, I don't think she's going to kill me," she said, "Well you just have no faith, do you?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes at another rat. "Don't be so negative. I'm going to try."

She wandered outside and into the forest to find Zorin. A few of her rats joined her and one climbed up her slacks and onto her shoulder. Elsa glanced down at the rat curiously.

"Where is she?" she asked.

The rat flicked its tiny nose to the left and Elsa nodded her approval, walking in the direction of the gesture. She found Zorin sitting on the ground, cradling her scythe over her shoulder. She was a little uneasy about approaching after hearing what the others had said, but shook that fear off as much as she could.

Zorin didn't look up when Elsa sat down beside her.

Elsa fidgeted a little and glanced at the other vampire. "So..." she began. "Quite a lovely night, ja?"

Zorin didn't respond. She kept her head lowered so Elsa couldn't see what sort of expressions she had on her face at the moment. Elsa tilted her head and decided to try something else. She reached carefully for Zorin's hand, but when their fingers barely touched, Zorin jerked her hand from her.

"Fuck off, Elsa." she spat. "I'm serious."

Elsa nodded weakly. "Right. I understand. Today isn't a good day for you."

"No, you don't understand anything. Now go before you piss me off more than I already am."

Elsa frowned at her. "Whatever it was, you can talk about it, you know," she told her, "I know you said it won't change things, but it might make you feel better."

Zorin snarled. "Didn't I just tell you to 'fuck off'?"

Elsa straightened. "You're not talking in anger, Zorin. You're talking in pain. I can hear it."

"FUCK OFF!" Zorin practically shrieked.

Elsa read the furious, frightening look on her face and nodded. She wasn't going to get anywhere, she could see that. "All right. I'll just...head back to the compound then," she said, evenly, "I can see you need to think about this." She stood up and gave Zorin's shoulder a cautious pat. "But when you're ready to talk, I'm here."

Zorin stared up at her, surprised that Elsa wasn't willing to continue pushing the issue. But it briefly lasted as she listened to the sounds of her departing. A few rats followed behind her.

Once Zorin was alone again, she stood up with a furious snarl and drove her fist into a tree.

"You little fuck..." she snarled, lowly.

She punched the tree again.

"You little FUCK."

Zorin took out another tree with a brutal punch of her fist.

"YOU LITTLE FUCK!" she screamed.

She punched the tree again and ended up with a bloody hand and splinters through her skin.

O

Elsa poured a few mix drinks for the high-ranking members of Millennium - all but Zorin, of course. She was still outside by herself. This really disappointed Elsa, but she knew she couldn't push particularly painful memories, even of Zorin had done so to her.

Tubalcain Alhambra seemed absolutely eager to try what she was making.

Elsa had difficulty pronouncing his name at the worst of times, so it often led to Zorin correcting her or someone who happened to cross her path.

"Elsa, where did you learn to mix drinks so well?" Rip asked.

"One of my troupe, a small man named Tin showed me," Elsa told her, "He could make the best mixed drinks in the entire circus."

She pushed a drink up to Jan. "For the foul-mouthed Valentine brother...The Bulls-Eye."

Jan tilted his head. "Why do you call it that?"

"You'll see."

Jan shrugged his shoulders and continued to drink.

"For Rip, I've made something I call 'Bavarian Binge'." Elsa continued. "Because you usually only need one full glass to get yourself completely smashed. The Bavarian part? Well, Tin was from Bavaria and it sounded nice at the time when I came up with the name."

"And for Luke. I've made something I call 'The Naked Russian'."

Luke chuckled and took the offering. "Why do you call it that?"

Elsa giggled. "There was a troupe member from Udmurtia who got his kicks running around the camp grounds naked - he was stark-raving mad. I was mixing rum and tequila and he startled me. So, I accidentally spilled a bit of cherry juice and cinnammon in it. You'd be surprised how nice it actually tasted."

"Do all the names of your drinks carry a hilarious tale?" Tubalcain asked, taking a drink.

Elsa smiled and shrugged. "Well, you're drinking what I like to call, 'Hairy Rat Hodensack'. I don't think you'd be particularly amused at how I came up with that one."

Jan stared down at his phone with a sigh and Rip leaned over.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well, I sent Zorin a text telling her it's going to be dawn soon." Jan said.

"And?"

"She sent me this." Jan replied, holding out the phone for her to read.

Rip looked at it and let out a startled gasp, covering her mouth with one hand. Luke sighed and didn't even glance up from reading a paper now.

"Did Zorin apply some more colorful vocabulary in that text?" he queried.

"Oh yeah. Guess I need to up my game if I'm gonna stay on top!" Jan said, jumping to his feet. "This bitch is straight up crazy and I do not have time for this shit!"

He suddenly fell to the floor with a low groan and Elsa flashed a smile.

"And THAT is why I call it 'Bull's-Eye'."

O

Elsa knew she had to be patient, but it was something she had difficulty with at the worst of times. Zorin spent the last few hours out of her room while Elsa waited for her to return. She didn't know how the other vampire behaved about this day and she didn't want to push.

It was a little worrying for her; she wanted to help, but was a bit uncertain of how to do so. Plus, Zorin's temper certainly seemed to flare even at the slightest inquiry when they were in the forest.

Since she was not summoned for any particular work, she spent those hours waiting for Zorin. She laid partially on the floor and bed while playing poker with her rats.

"Do you have any eights?" she asked one of them.

There was a sound of footsteps and Elsa glanced up when Zorin entered the room. The older vampire stared at her silently. Elsa smiled and waved one hand.

"Hello, Zorin, dear." she said.

Zorin didn't respond and simply walked by, entering the shower room. Elsa looked at a rat sitting beside her and she sighed heavily. She squirmed a little on the bed before rolling onto the floor with a low grunt. Shooing her rats away, she entered the shower room, just in time to hear the water running.

"Zorin?" she called, carefully.

The older vampire was leaning against the wall, silent.

"Listen, I know something's bothering you," Elsa said, careful in her approach. She glanced down and noticed a few drops of blood on the floor. Frowning, Elsa bent down to touch them before she continued. "I just want to help you. If you need to yell at me, hit me, you go ahead and do so."

No response, but the water was shut off. Elsa backed away as Zorin exited the shower. She stared at her, annoyed when Elsa raised her arms out, wincing for the blow she thought would come. Zorin rolled her eyes and simply shook her head.

"You're a fucking idiot," Zorin snapped, shoving her slightly.

She walked to the bedroom and sat down at the edge of the bed. Elsa sat down beside her before looking at Zorin's hand. It was healing from when she had punched the tree, but bits of splinters still remained. It would take a few moments for the flesh to push them out.

"What happened?" Elsa asked, taking her hand - noting no resistance this time.

"I punched a tree."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I felt like it."

Elsa laughed a little. "I see."

Zorin pulled her hand away and simply stared down, watching the rats scurry passed her bare feet. Elsa watched her for a moment before she smiled a little.

"When I first met Mona, I had already developed a crush the moment I laid eyes on her," she began. "It was silly because I was quite shy to approach. So I never did. The only one who knew about it was Basil Cromwell - the Crocodile Man. I was training for my performance alone in the big top. No one else knew I was using it. Mona entered the big top to watch me. I didn't see her for a little bit."

But then, when I saw her, I was trying the highwire and I suppose I got a little cocky. I went to jump and I ended up falling. I twisted my ankle and couldn't perform for three weeks. My boss was so angry about it and he asked why I jumped from the highwire though it wasn't in my performance. I didn't tell him. I was embarrassed and I thought for sure Mona believed me to be some idiot. God, I felt like such a fool myself. 'Why did I jump'? I asked myself that same question many times. I hid away in my trailer for those three weeks."

But sure enough, she came to my trailer afterwards and asked how I was doing. I didn't really know how to tell her about it, but she laughed. She thought my trick was hilarious. Now, surely you must think that being laughed at was a bit of a mortifying experience for me, but it was Mona and I ended up laughing with her. Here we were; two idiots laughing over my twisted ankle. We didn't know why we were laughing, but it certainly helped me open up with her. And before I knew it, we were together."

Zorin had been listening, even though it didn't seem so.

"What's the point of this story, Elsa...?" she asked, weary.

"People do stupid things. Sometimes in the name of those we love," Elsa continued, speaking gently, "They leap and hope to whatever God they pray to that they can fly. Now, I may not be the brightest, the prettiest, or the strongest person in the world, but I can say without a doubt that you're strong enough for both of us."

Zorin groaned and covered her face with one hand. "Ugh...there you go...being sappy again."

Elsa laughed a little. "I know. Sorry."

Zorin rolled her eyes, but did manage a smirk. She looked tired, as if she had spent weeks staying away and screaming. Elsa definitely wanted to know why.

"So...have you ever found love in your youth?" she asked.

Zorin squinted at her. "You're never going to know that."

"Never?"

"Never."

"Never say never, Zorin."

"I'm saying it right now. Never."

Elsa let out a sigh, knowing she would get nowhere with this. "Fine. You keep your secrets, dear." she said. She took Zorin's tattooed hand and kissed the palm.

"It'll drive you crazy."

"Yes, it would. But I've no place to push."

"I'm glad we have an understanding, Liebchen."

While the pair laid together, Zorin had placed an arm around Elsa and the woman had fallen asleep, holding onto her like a little kitten. Zorin was staring at an old photograph that had been burned on a few corners. It was of her in her SS uniform with another woman. They had their arms around each other's shoulders, grinning for the shot.

Zorin closed her eyes and crumbled up the photo before leaning her head back to sleep.

O

"If I have to hear any more from that dried up, old Fuddy-Duddy colonel..."

Elsa was scrubbing Zorin's back that next day, laughing weakly at Zorin's frustration. "I've never had the pleasure of meeting them. But I know the Major doesn't exactly like these old Nazi soldiers."

"Please. 'Soldier'? Those idiots are so old, they should be classified as fossils."

"And you're not, dear? I'm joking, Zorin. Don't look at me like that. I happen to find older women to be beautiful." Elsa inhaled and scrubbed Zorin's shoulders, lathering up her darker-skinned lover with a happy whistle. "I'm glad to see you're doing better today. You know, I had a thought, why don't I sing us a song?"

Zorin arched an eyebrow. "All right. But none of that pop garbage."

"Now there's nothing wrong with pop music, Zorin. I find it delightful."

"It's terrible. It's nothing more than trashy little whores dancing about and singing silly little lyrics about their childhood sweethearts. Ugh."

"I've danced to some of those kinds of songs, you know."

"You know what I mean."

"I've heard of a popular song from the 1940's - your time period. From the paratroopers of World War Two Germany. 'Rot Scheint die Sonne', I believe it's called."

Zorin chuckled. "Oh! I liked that one."

Elsa smiled and began to sing while she washed Zorin's back.

_"Rot scheint die Sonne, fertig gemacht_

_Wer weiß ob sie morgen für uns auch noch lacht._

_Werft an die Motoren, schiebt Vollgas hinein,_

_Startet los, flieget ab, heute geht es zum Feind._

_An die Maschinen, an die Maschinen,_

_Kamerad, da gibt es kein zurück._

_Fern im Osten stehen dunkle Wolken_

_Komm' mit und zage nicht, komm' mit..."_

Zorin stopped her, glancing partially back at the younger woman. "Elsa, you knew better," she said, evenly, "Outside in the forest, you knew what I could do to you. You were afraid."

"Well, yes; I am afraid of you, especially when you get like that. I'm not an idiot." Elsa answered, shrugging her shoulders. "But I thought I could at least try, you understand."

Zorin made a thoughtful sound. She felt Elsa tracing her fingers across several of her tattoos along the right side of her back. It relaxed her and she smiled a little.

"You are an idiot at the worst of times." Zorin quipped.

"Well, maybe. But I really was keen on keeping my head, you know. I've grown fond of it."

Zorin chuckled at that.

"Anyway, I think it was best to try. I care about you." Elsa continued, rubbing Zorin's shoulders. "I know you don't like hearing it and it's hard for me to say sometimes - you know why, you saw into my mind - but it's true."

Zorin didn't seem to pay any attention to her. Instead, she turned around and faced Elsa. She took the little sponge Elsa had been using and gestured for her to turn around.

She began to scrub Elsa's back. "You're a persistent thing, I'll give you that."

Elsa leaned back a bit against Zorin's chest with a murmur of content. "I wasn't always that way," she replied, "I've changed from being an obedient little pup to my parents. Thanks to you, anyway."

"I can tell. Sometimes you don't know when to listen to me."

Elsa smiled up at her from the tops of her eyes, a playful pitch in her voice. "Maybe I like getting a reaction out of you sometimes."

Zorin tilted her head. "Is that so?"

Elsa grinned at her, daring the older vampire to retaliate.

"So you want to play, do you?" Zorin hissed, showing her fangs.

She moved her mouth to Elsa's shoulder, scraping the tips of her fangs against her skin. Elsa closed her eyes with a sigh of pleasure. She was distracted by one hand against her breast that she didn't notice when Zorin's fingers slipped between her legs. She felt Zorin's lips parted in a soundless sigh, mirroring Elsa's suddenly pleasured expression.

"Hmm, do I turn you on so easily?" Zorin hissed, against her ear.

Elsa shivered and Zorin felt her smile. "Y-Yes."

The younger vampire squirmed and groaned as Zorin worked her fingers into her with one hand and used the other to fondle her breast. Her mouth nuzzled Elsa's neck and the younger vampire leaned her head to one side for better access. The slow build of heat tormented Elsa and she could barely make out her partner's breath deepening in subdued excitement.

Standing on easy legs became difficult for the younger vampire and she leaned her hands against the wall for proper support. Zorin wasn't having it and instead wrapped the arm that had been fondling Elsa's breast around her waist, holding her tightly to her.

Elsa's nails dug into Zorin's arms and the older vampire watched watched as she leaned her head back against her shoulder, eyes closed and features utterly awash with passion.

"You're mine, Elsa." she hissed, against Elsa's cheek. "No other will have you but me."

Elsa mumbled something the older vampire couldn't make out.

"Every day you're out there, you'll know what's waiting for you here." Zorin whispered, "And you'll know that I gave this to you."

Elsa gave a strangled groan when Zorin's fingers found that sweet spot.

"Yes!" she cried. "There! Please, there! Don't stop!"

"I don't plan on it."

Zorin's had reached up and took Elsa's lower jaw in hers, leaning down for a kiss. Elsa moaned in her mouth, arching against the other hand doing unspeakable things to her. Zorin parted and gave her lower lip a little lick. Elsa opened her eyes and met Zorin's gaze.

Zorin grinned at her and began molesting her neck once more with that damnable mouth of hers. Elsa was slowly coming undone; her legs shook, her soft, desperate cries grew louder.

"Please..." Elsa begged.

"Please, what? You need to be specific, Liebchen."

Elsa whined. "I-I need - "

"Do you want to come?" Zorin hissed, stopping her hand.

Elsa mumbled, close to the edge. "Yes."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes, dammit!"

"Good girl." Zorin purred, giving her ear a lick. "I'm going to try something a little different. I know you, Liebchen. You won't have complaints."

Elsa didn't have an answer, except for a small, barely audible mewl.

Zorin's fingers slipped back into her, working her lover back to the edge. That was the beauty of those thick, clever digits. She was damn good at using them appropriately. Elsa's cries came faster and faster. Zorin loved every minute of watching her near her orgasm. She always cursed in snippets of German and broken English. It was adorable.

When Zorin 'saw' the faint glint of Elsa's orgasm. She immediately opened her mouth and sank her fangs into Elsa's throat.

The scream that ripped from her was wonderful and she came over and over, quivering around Zorin's digits. Her orgasm felt like it was heightened ten times by the piercing of fangs in her neck. She thrashed in Zorin's grip a few more times, moaning with great sobs. Zorin snarled in the back of her throat at the sounds.

After a few heavy cries and groans, Elsa squirmed a little more before finally stilling. Thick, choked groans left her and Zorin finally - with much hesitation - removed her fangs from her neck.

"My God..." Elsa panted, "That was..."

"Amazing?" Zorin finished, smirking and licking her lips. "I know. They say that the use of fangs just before you come is a sensation equivalent to being fucked by God himself. I definitely had to try it out on you."

Those raw wounds from Zorin's fangs closed slowly and Elsa laughed, breathless. "I didn't know that. How do you know when to bite?"

"A vampire knows all things in the blood, Elsa. You could probably do that to me too. Though I don't know what good those little baby fangs of yours could do."

Elsa turned and gave her thigh a smack.

"Go ahead then and show me what you're made of, Liebchen."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

Zorin had never let her have control in the bedroom - it was just her way as being dominant. But Elsa never minded it too much. After being fucked silly, it was hard to do much complaining, really. However, she wasn't too sure how to do what Zorin had done for her. She wasn't even sure that she could do it as well.

"I would, but... I don't know how." she said, embarrassed.

"You fuck yourself, right? Well, just do what you do to yourself, but with me."

To get a little more comfortable in the shower, she leaned back a bit on the floor to let Elsa climb on top of her. The woman went right to work exploring her. Elsa had been shy the first few times during their sexual escapades. It took a little to get her out of her shell.

"Oh! Wait! I just remembered something!" Elsa said, so suddenly, it startled the other vampire.

Zorin looked at her in disbelief; she had started to get comfortable. "What?! You can't stop now!"

"Just for a second. You'll like it, I promise!"

Zorin glared at her.

"Please, it's really good." Elsa insisted.

Zorin rolled her eyes and glanced upwards, seemingly considering this before she shut off the shower. "You get five minutes." she warned.

Elsa grinned. "I only need a second."

"I'm counting, Elsa!"

Elsa darted from the shower with a little yelp and returned moments later with something in her hand. Zorin frowned at it and she noticed it was a bottle.

"This is heating oil. It's supposed to be really good for massages and everything." Elsa said. "Some of the best there is in the whole world."

Zorin looked skeptical and took the bottle from her hands, staring at it. She opened it and gave it a little sniff. "Where did you get it?"

Elsa looked embarrassed now. "Uhm, it was a present."

"You didn't get anything from anyone else."

"Yes, I did." Elsa seemed uncomfortably awkward about it, smiling in a almost comical manner.

Zorin squinted suspiciously at her. "Rip gave this to you, didn't she?"

"Maybe."

"Have you been discussing our sex life with everyone?!"

"Well, let's face it, dear; it's not really a big secret. And no, I haven't. Plus she gave this to me on her own initiative. I didn't ask her at all."

Zorin snorted. "If she's trying to be cute, I'm going to shove that musket up her ass."

"Always with asses with you." Elsa laughed. Then, she looked at her pleadingly. "Can we just try it? We were doing good up until now. I wanted it to be good for you."

Zorin sighed impatiently. She seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding.

"Fine."

Elsa smiled, delighted. She poured some of the bottle's contents into her hand and placed them on Zorin's shoulders. She massaged and kneaded them. Immediately, the older vampire relaxed with a low murmur of content. Her leg brushed against Elsa's side, a subtle gesture of encouragement.

"Hm, you're right," Zorin said, smiling. "This oil isn't terrible."

Elsa chuckled warmly. "What'd I tell you?"

"I'm still not thanking her for it."

"That's okay." Elsa leaned up and kissed the underside of Zorin's chin. "Just thank me when we're done."

Zorin glared at her, sneering. It was almost difficult to tell if she was joking or not right now, but her eyes screamed with need. "Never." she hissed.

"Never, huh?"

Elsa began to rub the oil across Zorin's breasts and everywhere else she could reach. The older vampire made soft, pleased sounds and began to shift a little on the floor so that she could lay on her back. Elsa climbed on top of her and moved a little, grinding her hips against her partner.

"Well, that's more like it," Zorin purred.

It certainly heated things up between them as the oil warmed their already sensitive bodies. Zorin shuddered beneath her when she slipped a leg between hers. She teasingly ground her knee against her and Zorin's breath hitched. Her eyes fluttered shut and Elsa leaned up, pressing a soft, delightful kiss against Zorin's lips.

"Ah, slow motion," Zorin hissed, smirking. "Now fast forward."

She took Elsa's hand and guided it to the place between her legs. Elsa jumped a little before laughing.

"You don't want to be teased, I see." she said.

"Nein. No teasing. Get to it."

"So that must have heated you up quite well."

"Ah, stop talking and..._ohh_..."

Zorin closed her eyes with a sigh of pleasure, leaning back a bit as Elsa's long, delightful fingers explored her. Her left leg jerked just a little and Elsa always liked watching it. Even though Zorin claimed that never happened, it was still something that Elsa found a little cute.

Zorin's facial expressions were also something to witness. The older vampire was usually quite expressive to begin with. At the height of physical pleasure, her eyebrows would arch a little, her purse lips would twitch and her fangs would show in a hiss of pleasure.

Only here when they were alone could she ever see Zorin's guard down.

Zorin's fingers dug into Elsa's hips and she clenched her teeth. Watching this for a few moments, Elsa decided to try something.

"You're beautiful, Zorin." she crooned.

"_Ah_...you stop that. _Mmh_..."

"Very beautiful."

"Shut...up."

"Oh, did I find the 'on switch'?" Elsa teased affectionately.

"I'm going to kill you if you don't... _Fuck_..."

Elsa nibbled Zorin's lower lip and the older woman opened her mouth a little, leaning her head forward for a kiss. Elsa obliged and shared a kiss with her for a moment, feeling Zorin groan in the back of her throat.

"Beautiful and lovely..." Elsa purred, against her lips. "I love it."

"Goddamn you..." Zorin hissed.

"He already has. At least I'm not alone in that."

Zorin grinned, hissing sharply when Elsa's fingers found a sensitive spot. They locked gazes. "Goddamn sappy little - AH!" She cried out when Elsa moved her fingers a little harder.

Elsa cupped Zorin's cheek with one hand and continued working her over with the other. Zorin hissed and groaned, cursing Elsa for her "sappy words".

"Pretty, pretty Zorin." Elsa continued singing. "Look at you blush. Oh... You really ARE blushing. Mein Gott, I've only ever seen you blush once before!"

Zorin snarled. "You talk too much."

She grabbed Elsa's hand and started moving it harder into her. "Faster!" Zorin hissed. "Harder. HARDER. Yes, yes, _yes_! Fuck!"

Elsa did what Zorin told her and watched, listened and scented for that moment. She saw a faint glimmer and felt that precise moment when the older vampire was coming undone.

And in a flash of fang, she bit down on Zorin's throat.

"Hah!" Zorin shouted out as her orgasm rocked her body.

She trembled and groaned, holding Elsa tightly by the arms as she rode out the multiple orgasms that passed through her. Those large hands grabbed Elsa's shoulders, pulling her down to her level for a bruising kiss. Once they parted, Elsa sat up a bit, casually toying with a small lock of Zorin's hair behind her ear.

"All done?" she laughed.

"Uh-huh..." Zorin mumbled, glancing upwards. She seemed unfocused, but satisfied.

"Are you okay now?"

"Uh-huh."

"No more fighting?"

"Uh-huh."

"Are you just saying 'uh-huh' to everything I say?"

"Uh-huh."

"I believed as much." Elsa laughed, kissing her cheek.

Zorin looked at her now when she did. She made a face. "Fuck. It's hard to stay pissed at you when you do that..." she muttered.

"I know. That's why I do it." Elsa teased, affectionately.

She rested her chin between Zorin's breasts. Zorin sighed and shook her head.

"We have to get ready. Training starts today." she said.

Elsa refused to move.

"Elsa." Zorin warned.

"I'm afraid I can't move." Elsa told her.

Zorin arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And why's that?"

"Your breasts are entirely too comfortable."

Zorin slapped her ass for that.

O

_Note - _'Rot Scheint die Sonne' is a WWII paratrooper song that was popular. It's also known as Fallschirmjägerlied.


	10. X

**~O~**

**X**

"Zorin, I don't think we should do this."

Elsa and Zorin stood a few feet apart; Zorin was holding a handgun and rolled her eyes at Elsa's complaining. A few soldiers and the Werewolves were watching the sight. The Doctor was scribbling notes down on a clipboard and they just waited for Zorin to do what she planned to do.

"Look, Liebchen. You need to learn to take a bullet." Zorin snapped, impatiently. "I'm going to shoot you in the stomach. I won't hurt."

"I don't want you to shoot me in the stomach!"

"Stop being a pussy!"

"I'm not a...you know," Elsa growled, frustrated by the laughter around them and embarrassed by Zorin's vulgar language, "The idea of you putting a round in my innards just doesn't strike me as a fun way to spend this day!"

"You're acting like a baby. They're not even silver bullets!"

"I don't care if they're made of King Midas' gold! I don't want to be shot!"

"All right, fine." Zorin said evenly, raising her hands in a mocking gesture. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Elsa nodded anxiously. "Good. I don't want to."

Zorin hung her shoulders with a sigh before she flashed a grin and quickly shot Elsa right in the stomach. The younger vampire went flying back with a yell and crashed into the dirt. Zorin stood there, laughing.

"Oh God, you shot me!" Elsa cried, writhing in the dirt. "Why did you shoot me?"

Zorin walked up to her and shook her head. "Act like a bitch, get shot like a bitch."

Elsa groaned a few more times before she stared down at her abdomen. There was a hole in her jacket, but the bullet had already healed and fallen out. She touched her abdomen a few times before grinning.

"Hey! That's... You're right! It didn't hurt!" she exclaimed.

"I told you. Now get up. We're doing it again."

"I can't. I think you broke my ass."

Zorin let out a guffaw. "I broke your ass, huh?"

The laughter around them made her smirk for a moment before she glanced back down at Elsa. "Should I stick my foot up it to make sure you still have some feeling left?"

"Well, no. That's just rude."

"Then get up."

The next stage of training involved Zorin teaching Elsa to fight. Unfortunately, it involved Zorin beating her into the floor several times when Elsa attempted to block and return the attacks in the same style. Even when she beat the punching bag - Zorin shouting "left" and "right" between punches - the older vampire would sneak in a surprise attack for Elsa to attempt to dodge.

When it came for training her rats, Elsa brought in as many as she could conjure at her mental command. Simple orders were given and the rats would obey.

"Up." she told them.

The rats climbed up a rope upon command.

"Eat."

The rats swarmed over a human corpse and began to chew at the flesh.

They parted as Elsa walked passed them, making an open path for her. She occasionally sprinkled some bread crumbs for them.

"Good. That was good, my darlings," she said, smiling. "Now we'll get to something interesting."

The Doctor instructed Elsa of the vehicle and how the rats were to quickly cut the engine. Elsa had been listening to his instructions while the Major watched with intrigue. She held a rat in her hands and smiled.

"I understand." she acknowledged. "All right. You heard the Doctor. Rip it."

The rats made their way into the car of choice; Elsa chuckled as she observed them squeezing into the radiator and chewing the wires. When they were finished, the Doctor attempted to start the engine and smiled, impressed.

"Excellent work, Elsa!" the Major said, clapping, "Your skills have greatly improved!"

Elsa smiled and bowed. "Thank you, sir."

"You are - without a doubt - an interesting case," the Major continued, "You are the Rat Whisperer. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. The Lady of Vermin. Yet, I do wonder; what other secrets does your family hold?"

Elsa allowed a rat to climb up her arm. "What do you mean, sir?"

"I have done my research. You come from a long line of...interesting individuals through history. All from your mother's side. One of your many ancestors... Johann Pufendorf was burned at the stake for claiming to communicate with animals. Another...Anne-Sophie Grönemeyer was sentenced to an insane asylum for suffering from visions she claimed she received from the spirits."

Elsa looked surprised. "I had no idea."

"What of your grandmother?" the Major inquired. "Caspar informed me that she perished an untimely death."

"Yes, but I never knew her." Elsa replied. "She died shortly after I was born of fever. My father didn't like talking about it." She hesitated briefly. "He didn't like a lot of things..."

"Oh. Well that is most unfortunate," the Major said, shaking his head with dismay. "A father who did not appreciate the gifts his blood has given him. Such a shame. We could have used your blessed family had they not been killed."

Elsa looked a little confused. "Killed? My grandmother died of fever."

"Did she? Ah. My mistake."

The Major smirked and turned, walking away.

O

"Can you pass that to me?"

"Of course."

Rip and Elsa were working on repairing a radio. Occasionally, Elsa would end up getting shocked and Zorin would laugh on the sidelines; she was reading a book while the other two women worked.

Jan passed them and flashed a grin. "Hey! How do you say, 'Jan Valentine would like to watch a lesbian threesome' in German?"

"Nein." Rip and Elsa replied.

Jan cackled and walked off.

"So...are you going to talk about it?" Rip queried.

"Talk about what?" Elsa asked, twisting a screwdriver in the machine. She jerked with a hiss at a snap of the electricity.

Zorin laughed.

"I'm aware of how ridiculous I look, thank you, Zorin..." Elsa muttered. She grunted and tossed the screwdriver onto the floor. "I don't see why I need to fix this. I don't know anything about electronics."

"You have to talk about it sometime, dearie." Rip pushed, smirking at her.

Elsa seemed distracted now. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm curious."

"I'm sure you are..."

"Just talk." Rip insisted.

Zorin glanced up with interest. She couldn't resist her curiosity as well. Hearing Elsa's pain was different than seeing it.

Elsa sighed and retrieved the screwdriver. "Well, my days in the circus required a lot of traveling. Mostly Europe, nowhere too far," she began. "Mona and I wanted to return to Munich for a show; she'd never been to Germany before and wanted to visit my home country. My boss thought it would bring in revenue during tourist season, so he agreed to travel back home from a trip to England. There was a movie that Mona and I wanted to see."

Rip grinned. "Which one?"

"The Starlight Hour."

Rip and Zorin groaned with disgust and Elsa laughed.

"What?" she asked. "What's the groaning for?"

"Romance flick. Go figure you'd be into that." Zorin said.

Elsa smirked now. "I know."

"Well? Go on." Rip urged.

Elsa hesitated and smiled a little, resuming her work as a means of distraction. "Well, Mona and I had been saving our money for tickets, so I went to reserve our seats." she continued, "Mona had her dress I bought for her. She wanted to wear it when we went out. She never felt too comfortable going out in public with me. Not because she was ashamed of me or anything; she was ashamed of her cleft lip. She didn't think she looked beautiful enough for me." Elsa laughed sadly. "Imagine that. Beautiful enough for me..."

"Elsa, get to the point." Rip insisted.

"Okay, okay..." Elsa sighed. "Well, I ran a little late on the way back because they had just opened up this new wine shop and I had to get something for the occasion. Yes, Zorin, I'm sentimental like that. Don't look so surprised."

"And you were drunk?" Rip guessed.

Elsa laughed and shrugged. "Well, that goes without saying." She exhaled heavily. "Well, I returned to the circus grounds. I was looking for Mona. It was...night and a little cold out." Her smile disappeared somewhat and she could still hear it all happening in her head again. "I had been drinking a little and noticed Mona coming out of a tent. She was in a rush to get to bed, and I was a little confused because we'd been talking about this movie for a while. And then, I saw she had fresh bruises."

She paused once and Zorin watched her curiously.

"And?" Rip said.

"I...I don't know," Elsa mumbled, setting the screwdriver down. "I suppose I learned that Mona had been...abused when I wasn't around." Her eyes seemed to mist over. "She was hiding it from me because she didn't want me to be upset, I guess. By the man who was supposed to protect us. He'd been hurting her, raping her and I never knew. Maybe I did. It's hard to remember sometimes. Maybe I don't want to think about it too much."

"What'd you do?" Rip asked, interested.

"I guess I killed him." Elsa replied, with a weak smile.

"And Mona?"

"Mona took the fall," Elsa seemed to collect herself and resumed her task with a little more effort than before. "I don't regret killing him. That man violated something beautiful; he destroyed innocence behind my back and smiled to my face about it. He deserved his fate. Mona did not. I only wish I could have stopped her from dying in that cell alone."

The women were silent for a while. Zorin murmured thoughtfully and resumed focus on her book.

Such was life.

No room for comfort.

"Hey, Rip?" Elsa snapped back to reality. "Can you pass me that cluster of wires?"

"Oh, certainly."

O

_1979_

_Munich, Germany_

_"Elsa?"_

_"What?"_

_"I'm considering saving up." Mona told her. _

_The two were laying in bed together in Elsa's trailer that evening. Elsa was just casually toying with a lock of Mona's hair on her head and stared at her curiously._

_"Saving up for what?" she asked._

_"For an operation," Mona told her._

_Elsa's eyebrows went up. "For what? You mean for this?"_

_She touched Mona's upper cleft lip and the other woman nodded, slightly lowering her head.  
_

_"You know I would support it, Mona," Elsa said. "But I don't want you to do this for the reason I know you want to."_

_Mona glanced away, guilty._

_"Mona, don't do this to make me happy. Do it because it's what you want." Elsa chided gently. "I told you that whatever they say out there doesn't matter to me."_

_"I want it to matter."_

_"Mona, you know what I mean..."_

_"I just want to be beautiful..."_

_Elsa sighed through her nose. "But you ARE beautiful."_

_"Easy for you to say..."_

_Elsa sat up and Mona did the same. She furrowed her brow. "Hey, what's all this talk for?" she asked. "How many times do people out there call me freak? And look at me." She gestured to herself. "Do you think I care?"_

_Mona smiled weakly. "No."_

_"Exactly. Freak is a stupid word, but we deal with it. Together." She gave Mona a kiss on the cheek. "Du er nydelig..."_

"Can I touch?"

"What?"

Zorin and Elsa were laying in bed and Elsa had asked about touching Zorin's disproportionate eye. Her curious nature was sometimes endearing, but Zorin was exasperated, given the roll of her eyes. But she leaned forward anyway and Elsa took that as an okay to move. She raised her fingers beneath Zorin's right eye, lightly touching.

Zorin couldn't help but close her eyes a little bit and lean a little further into the touch. Despite her general distrust of having most put their hands on her face, Elsa was the exception to the rule.

"What happened?" Elsa eventually asked.

"I was shot." Zorin replied, opening her eyes.

Elsa looked surprised.

"Why does that shock you?" Zorin asked, shrugging her shoulders. She blinked a little when Elsa's fingers passed near her right eye. "I was in war and a Russian soldier shot me when I had my back turned. End of story."

Elsa made a face and Zorin pulled her head away after a few moments. The younger vampire stared at her quizzically, surprised by the abrupt gesture.

"It tickles. Stop it." Zorin grumbled.

"Sorry. I can't imagine you hurt like that," Elsa said, shaking her head.

"Then don't."

"I'm imagining it. It's horrible."

"Ugh. Stop getting so emotional," Zorin said, annoyed with her pained expression now, "It was war. Did you expect anything less?"

Elsa didn't answer. She really didn't come up with anything else. Zorin was right. What had happened fifty years ago was probably so much different than what the world was like now.

"If it makes you feel any better, I like you this way," she told her. "It's different. Different is always wonderful."

Zorin rolled her eyes again. "How can you think that way?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at how the world mistreated you. How can you have such a belief?"

"It's easy when you consider that you can't change what you are," Elsa replied, with a shrug, "Acceptance is the only way I've ever dealt with such things. Denying it won't make it better."

"Hm..."

O

The following day, Elsa and Zorin sat apart from each other, legs crossed. A rat sat beside her, preening its fur. They would be working on the psychic abilities that Elsa possessed this time. As a vampire, her strengths would surely be amplified in the way that Zorin's had been.

"Are you ready?" Zorin asked.

Elsa nodded with a murmur.

"Good. Let's begin."

Elsa closed her eyes.

"Focus. Concentrate on the rat beside you," Zorin instructed. "Make his will your own. Reach for his mind and let it become yours."

Elsa seemed to focus entirely too hard; the contortion of her features was almost hilarious, but Zorin didn't laugh. She just exhaled.

"Not THAT hard, Elsa..." she said.

Elsa managed a small giggle.

She took a deep inhale and the rat beside her suddenly stiffened. Zorin watched it with interest as it stood entirely too still for a rat. It looked around a few times and Elsa spoke, though her eyes remained closed.

"Oh! Oh, this is amazing!" she exclaimed, chuckling. "I'm seeing everything he's seeing!"

"Do you have control?" Zorin asked.

"Yes. This...oh."

"What is it?"

"I can smell what he smells. Hear what he hears. This is so amazing! Oh, it's itchy. Oh, this is awful. I feel so terrible for them. All the fleas..."

"Okay, calm down," Zorin said, wearily. "See what you can do with this. Can you control his body?"

Elsa tilted her head and the rat began to move forward. It stood on two legs and scratched its face in a manner that should have been impossible for a rat. Zorin laughed a little at the sight.

"I'll be damned. It worked." she said.

Elsa suddenly winced and her eyes fell open. The rat was brought back to reality as well and Zorin stared at her curiously.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"It hurts after a while." Elsa murmured, rubbing her head with one hand. "There's a pressure on my brain, like someone pushing down on it."

"Hm. Well, I guess that means we'll just have to keep practicing then."

Elsa stood up. "I need something to drink..."

Zorin frowned at her and rose as well. She watched Elsa walk away before following. She walked to the mess hall and gathered a bottle before pouring herself a glass.

"Zorin, do you remember your parents?" Elsa asked.

Zorin snorted. "What?"

"Your parents. Do you remember them?"

"I don't think I need to. They were pieces of shit."

Elsa arched her eyebrows and took a drink. "I suppose that answers one question..."

Zorin shrugged her shoulders. "I thought we went through this before," she said, "No offense, but your parents are real cunts. Get over it."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "How can I possibly be offended by that? And no, that wasn't what I was talking about."

"Then what?"

"My grandmother. She died of fever. I was told this, but my father had a way of lying. It's just...bothering me a little, that's all."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "Just don't think about it. Your past is gone."

"It's not that easy for me, Zorin. Not in some cases."

"It's going to HAVE to be. You're with us now. Fuck everything you used to be."

Elsa considered this for a moment. She arched an eyebrow.

"All right. Fair enough. When will you follow your own logic?"

Zorin's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You know what I'm talking about. April 26th."

"Fuck you, Elsa." Zorin hissed, pointing a finger in her face. "Don't even fucking go there. They're not remotely the same fucking thing!"

"Why aren't they? They're the same pains."

"No, they're not! So if you're going to go there, then I'm going to kick the shit out of you!"

"Do it then. No one's stopping you!"

Zorin punched her in the face.

Elsa staggered back a few feet, holding her jaw. She cracked it a few times before glowering at Zorin. The older vampire smirked coldly.

"Act like a bitch, get hit like a bitch." she sneered.

Elsa stared at her in disbelief before she let out a shriek and charged at Zorin. While they were fighting, Rip and Luke walked passed the doorway and returned moments later to watch.

"Should we stop them?" Luke said.

Rip smiled. "No, they're just working it out."

"Really? They're really going at each other."

"Do YOU want to step in the path of Zorin's fists?"

"Good point..."

Zorin grabbed Elsa by the throat and shoved her into the floor. Elsa squirmed and struggled, kicking her legs out beneath the larger woman. She clawed at Zorin's hands so much, blood began to ooze from the infliction. Zorin glowered down at her, lips pursed with effort.

"You stupid bitch!" she spat. "You think you know me? You think you have a right to SAY THOSE THINGS TO ME?!"

Elsa choked and squeezed her eyes shut. "No! It's okay! I'm fine!"

Zorin noticed briefly that rats had poured into the room, sensing danger. They watched the sight, perched on tables, chairs and counter tops, observing the fight between the two women with eyes that almost glowed red in the dim light of the room.

She had been addressing them. Surely they were ready to defend their "master" at a moment's notice. Zorin snorted coldly and glared down at her.

"Do you think I'm scared of your fucking rats?" she spat.

Elsa stopped squirming and closed her eyes. Her hands no longer clawed at Zorin's arm, but rested gently there. Zorin reacted with a scowl.

"It's okay. I understand," Elsa said, smiling sadly up at her, "I really do."

Zorin pursed her lips and shoved Elsa harder into the floor. The woman let out a choke of pain.

"You don't!"

"I do."

"Fuck you!"

"It's okay to be sad."

"SHUT UP!"

"I'm always sad. It never goes away. Some days are just easier than others. It's that way for you, isn't it?"

Zorin snarled at her. "I'm not fucking sad, you stupid cunt!"

"Then what are you?"

"I'm angry, all right! I'm FUCKING PISSED!"

Elsa felt the grip loosen a little. She watched Zorin calmly. "At who? Me?"

"Yes, but not just you!" Zorin looked a little conflicted. "I'm pissed, all right! Just get off my fucking back about it!"

Rip and Luke backed away, wide-eyed. They decided to leave the two alone.

"Yes, I can see that." Elsa said, patiently. "But why? Why are you angry?"

"I'm just ANGRY!"

"Why? Talk to me. Tell me."

Zorin released her and stood up, turning away from Elsa with a furious snarl. Elsa watched her carefully and rubbed her sore neck.

"Just tell me." Elsa said, gently.

Zorin felt dizzy. Her hands were starting to shake and she felt her lungs closing again. Fuck. Another anxiety attack. She could hear it. The crippling weight bearing down on her like a ton of bricks. She turned with a furious screech and kicked a table so hard, it went flying into the wall.

"I'M ANGRY AT MYSELF!"

O

Elsa spent the evening researching her fellow Millennium members. Scanning through computers wasn't particularly interesting, but at least she was permitted to do it. Most of the information was classified for the Major's eyes only, but she didn't think it was something she needed to know anyway.

She found Zorin's old files.

_Oberleutnant Zorin Blitz -_

"What are you doing, Elsa?" Rip queried, suddenly behind her.

Elsa gave a shriek and nearly jumped a few hundred feet in the air. She whirled on Rip, gritting her teeth furiously and clutching her chest.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!" she hissed. "I thought you were Zorin."

Rip smiled brightly. "Zorin's busy working on something for the Major." she said. "Why? Are we up to no good?" She tried to look beyond Elsa, who made an effort to hide the computer screen from her. "Let me see, Elsa. Come on. Let's see what you're doing."

Elsa shook her head. "No! Don't. It's nothing. Just research and - AH!"

Rip started tickling her and she giggled, cringing away from it before falling to the floor. Rip stepped over Elsa and sat down in the chair she was using.

"Oh! Snooping through Millennium's files, I see."

Elsa sat up. "Please, don't tell Zorin."

"Oh, I won't. That could lead you into an early grave, you know." Rip turned in the seat and tilted her head curiously. She looked serious too. "Tell me why I shouldn't though."

"I know it's bad. But I have to know."

"Why do you have to know?"

"To help her."

"Maybe some people don't want to be helped."

Elsa looked stunned by that response before she exhaled, nodding her head. "You're right. I didn't think of it that way," she said. "I did it again. I assumed I knew what was best."

"It's okay, dearie. You're over-compensating for your loss of Mona."

"What?"

"It's easy to see that. You couldn't help Mona, so you're trying to make up for lost time. You're too easy to read. I know Zorin knows it. That's why she's frustrated with you the way she is."

Elsa gave her a funny stare. "If you knew this, then why didn't you say anything?"

"It was funny to watch."

Elsa snorted. "Right. I should have known you'd take delight in my internal conflictions."

Rip laughed a little.

Elsa leaned forward and started to shut off the computer, but paused. "Hold on."

"What is it?"

"Today's the 28th, right?"

"That's right."

"It says here that Zorin's birthday is in four days."

Rip shrugged her shoulders. "Well, probably. Vampires like us don't really think about them anymore."

Elsa murmured thoughtfully and shut the computer off. "I'm going out."

Rip's eyes widened. "What? Elsa, you're going to get into trouble."

"Which is why you're not telling anyone."

"Of COURSE I'm speaking to the Major about this!"

"I'll clear it with him before I leave. But no one else can know."

"Elsa..." Rip groaned. "This isn't going to end well."

"I'll be fine. It'll be quick. Incognito. I did a play with that title, you know."

Rip groaned and slapped a hand over her forehead.

O

Elsa walked through the little shop, searching for something to buy. But really, what could she get Zorin that the Nazi woman wouldn't be insulted by?

A cashier approached her. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

Elsa smiled. "Yes. What would you suggest giving a seventy-year old woman with no social grace, appalling manners, colorful vocabulary and a terrifying tone of voice that tends to rattle the timbers of every house in a four-block vicinity?"

The cashier looked confused. "Uhm...well, what does she like?"

Elsa smiled brightly. "Smoking."

The cashier grinned weakly. "Anything else?"

"Well..." Elsa frowned thoughtfully.

The cashier made her way to a table and Elsa followed her. "What about these?"

Elsa brightened. "Perfect! I'll take it. Can you wrap it for me in a pretty box?"

"I certainly can."

"Thank you."

Once Elsa was finished with her purchase, she smiled sweetly at the cashier. "You have a nice night, ma'am."

She walked out of the store and was greeted by one of her rats. "So? What do you think? Will Zorin like it?"

The rat squeaked.

Elsa sighed as she walked away. "Everyone's a critic."

She put her headphones over her ears and began to play her music. The rat at her side suddenly tugged at Elsa's ear to get her attention. It looked back with a loud squeak and Elsa just smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm going to surprise her." she said, misunderstanding the gestures.

Behind her, the gleam of a gun-barrel reflected in the moonlight.

The trigger was pulled.


	11. XI

**~O~**

**XI**

Zorin was in the middle of conversation with the Doctor when Caspar rushed passed her, almost knocking the woman off of her feet. Zorin steadied herself before giving the other vampire a dirty look.

"Sergeant!" she spat. "Watch where you're going!"

"Forgive me, First Lieutenant," he said, "But it's Elsa! I have to go. She's been hurt!"

Zorin furrowed her brow. "What? How?"

She followed Caspar to the hangar and found Elsa being helped inside by Rip. She was hanging over the other woman's shoulders, dripping blood all over the floor and her feet were dragging. Rip winced before looking up at the Doctor, who rushed over to Elsa's side. The woman was unconscious for the moment.

"What happened?" the Doctor demanded.

"Elsa was shot. The Valentine brothers are not too far behind me." Rip said. "We followed her."

Zorin watched the scene with wide eyes and her cigarette fell from her mouth. The Doctor led them to his laboratory and in a few moments, Jan and Luke returned as well, dragging a battered man with them.

"This asshole was the one who shot her," Jan said, smirking. "Little fucker tried to run off, but I caught him."

Zorin approached the man and leaned in close. He looked away with a small whimper, not daring to look in the chaos that stared back at him.

"I know this one," she said, softly. "He's one of the soldiers from the fort in Brazil. I thought we caught all of you."

The man hissed sharply through blood-soaked teeth. "My father, Bruno. You killed him. I followed you." he snarled, his thick Portuguese accent rough with agony, "Did you think I'd allow that to go unpunished? Your family for mine!"

Zorin chuckled coldly and grabbed his jaw. "I've got something special for you, little insect." she promised. "Once Elsa is taken care of, you're going to join your father. That is a promise!"

Jan grinned and nodded his approval. "Yeah! I'm looking forward to that!"

"I need to help the Doctor with Elsa," Zorin told him. "Stash this piece of shit until I'm ready for him."

"You got it."

Zorin made her way to the laboratory, where Elsa was awake and screaming in agony. She was holding her abdomen with two blood-soaked hands while the Doctor gathered his tools.

"Oh! Oh God, get it out!" Elsa shrieked, "Son of a whore, it's burning me!"

Zorin arched her eyebrows, laughing a little. "Well, look at little Miss Potty Mouth." she joked. "You're blossoming into a real woman."

"SHUT UP!" Elsa shrieked at her, sweat beading down her brow. "Stop smiling, you jerk!"

The Doctor nodded his head calmly. "Relax. You'll be fine."

"Fine?!" Elsa screeched. "I'm dying! GET IT OUT!"

The Doctor removed an enormous set of pliers from his tray and looked at Zorin. "Hold her down."

Zorin nodded and grabbed Elsa's arms with two hands, moving them out of reach from the bullet wound. Schrodinger smiled down at Elsa, who moaned in agony.

"Aww, that looks like it hurts, Fraulein." he teased.

"OF COURSE IT HURTS, YOU LITTLE CAT PRICK!" Elsa screamed. She groaned and leaned her head back. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I normally don't cuss this much."

"I've heard it all, Elsa." Schrodinger remarked.

The Doctor looked at Schrodinger. "All right then, Warrant Officer. Take her legs. I don't want her kicking me."

"But of course, Doctor."

Schrodinger wrapped his entire body around Elsa's lower legs and the Doctor leaned forward, reaching into Elsa's abdomen with the pliers. She screamed and twisted in the grips of the two holding her; she almost dislodged Schrodinger. The Doctor pursed his lips with effort and seized the shell with the pliers, slowly pulling it out.

He held it up in the light for study. It was silver with a blessed wooden tip.

"Oh my, he went through great lengths for this one," he mused. "I'm impressed."

Elsa shuddered, relaxing with a low moan. Zorin patted her cheek with one hand.

"You took that like a pro, Elsa." she said, chuckling.

Elsa managed a half-hearted grin in response. "I aim to please..."

The Doctor set the shell into an empty tray and reached for a syringe. Elsa looked up at him now, slightly dazed. "What's in that? What are you going to use it for?" she asked.

"Just a little something to ease your pain a bit," he told her. "Morphine. Strong enough to take down a bull elephant."

"Can't I just have a drink?"

"No. You're bleeding too heavily and the bullet slows down your regeneration. So you'll need to get some rest today. No alcohol."

Elsa groaned with dismay until the Doctor injected the fluid into a vein. She winced a little before rolling her eyes up at Zorin. The older vampire shook her head.

"Hey, don't look at me." she said. "Doctor's orders."

Elsa mumbled. "Fine..."

O

The Major smiled at the sight of Zorin toying with her prey. He and the Doctor observed this from behind a glass window.

"I knew he would come," he told the Doctor.

The other man reacted a little. "So you used Elsa as bait."

"Aha, I did."

"That is terrible, Major, sir."

"Oh, but it worked. This petulant nuisance was bound to cause trouble for us. Searching for a release from the pain of his loss. But if he wants to meet his father in the depths of hell, who are we to stop him?"

"I agree, sir."

A single rat was watching the torture and Elsa could barely make out what Zorin was saying through a haze from the morphine injection.

_"Did you think I'd let it happen again?!"_

_"I'm not afraid of you..."_

_"No? You fucking should be. If she died, this would be a hell of a lot fucking worse. You're not going to be so lucky. I'm saving the rest of you for her."_

Elsa chuckled a little and leaned her head back. So that's what it was. It made sense.

O

Zorin walked into the laboratory and found Rip talking with Elsa.

"How is she?" she asked.

Elsa smiled happily, completely doped up. "Zorin! Hi!" she said, waving. "Tell the Doctor how pretty I feel right now!"

Rip giggled a bit. "How is the morphine?"

"Great! I've never felt better!"

"Just don't get addicted to it. We need to functional, you know."

Zorin walked over. "I hope we learned something today..."

Elsa grinned, her head rolling. "Zorin?"

"Yeah?"

"Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you look?"

"Kissing my ass won't change how pissed I am at you right now."

Elsa giggled. "Well, I tried."

Zorin rolled her eyes at that remark and Rip chuckled. The larger vampire glared down at her and snapped her fingers. "Go on. Get out of here. Let me be alone with her."

"Of course." Rip said, with a cheerful smile. She patted Elsa's shoulder before leaving.

Zorin sat down in Rip's seat and stared at the woman skeptically.

"You know, I had thought about beating your ass for going out without telling me," she snapped. "Why the hell did you leave anyway? What was so important that it merited a shot with a blessed bullet?"

Elsa had her eyes closed and she smiled, holding up the package she had bought; there was still some blood covering the corners. Zorin stared at it for a moment before she took it.

"What's this?" she asked.

"A gift. For you."

"Me? What for?"

"Your birthday."

Zorin looked confused. "My what?" She rolled her eyes now. "Oh. THAT."

"I figured it out some time earlier."

"You're insane."

A laugh. "Yeah. Probably."

Elsa straightened a little in the bed. "Open it. It's not much, but it's the thought that counts, right? Sorry, I got my blood on it."

Zorin sighed impatiently. "I can't believe you did this," she snapped, opening the gift, "You're so fucking sappy sometimes. My birthday isn't important. I have much more pressing matters at hand right now than..."

Elsa chuckled. "I knew you were going to say that. That's why I got what I got."

Zorin stared down at the wrapped offering; two cigars in jet black wrapping with symbols on them that she didn't recognize.

"Cigars?" she said.

Elsa nodded. "Yeah. My grandfather used to smoke a pair on special occasions with my grandmother. These two are called 'die Liebhaber', special made in Nicaragua - so not exactly cheap. You smoke them together in the event of a happy evening."

"You don't smoke, Elsa."

"This is true. But like I said, it's the thought that counts."

Zorin scoffed and rolled her eyes, taking one and placing it in her mouth. "All right. Whatever you say."

Elsa took one and placed it into her mouth. She flashed a goofy, lopsided grin. "Do I look like a million euros or what?" she joked.

Zorin shook her head and took a set of matches from her pocket. She lit hers and then Elsa's. The younger vampire coughed a bit and leaned back, chuckling dryly. The two women were silent, taking a moment to savor their smokes before Zorin arched an eyebrow.

"Mint?" Zorin guessed.

"Mm-hmm..." Elsa murmured, closing her eyes.

"Good choice."

"Thank you."

"I haven't smoked a cigar this good in a while." Zorin said.

"Are you thanking me?"

"I suppose. But don't get used to it."

"I won't." Elsa laughed. "Happy early birthday, Zorin."

Zorin made a noncommittal sound and waved her hand in the air, leaning back a bit in the chair. Elsa glanced sideways to her before smiling.

"She was a lucky woman." she suddenly said.

Zorin frowned. "What?"

"The woman you were with before me. I bet she was special."

"How'd you..."

"I figured it out. I heard what you said to that fool out there."

Zorin didn't reply. She just took another inhale of her cigar. Elsa glanced at her for a moment before leaning back. She chuckled quietly and took an inhale of her cigar as well.

"It's a shame, though," Elsa murmured, "I envy her. She had a chance to know you. The REAL you."

Zorin was still silent.

She didn't speak on it for the rest of the time she was with Elsa.

O

Elsa remembered something the Doctor told her before she began her training with the Captain.

_"You're beaten because you are trying to fight like the others. Use what you know instead."_

Well, she should have thought about that before.

The Captain stood a few feet apart from her and raised his hands in a perfect fighting stance. Elsa glanced warily to the watchers before she mimicked his gesture as well.

"She's gonna get her ass beat." Jan joked.

"Shut up," Luke said, annoyed.

The Captain made the first move; he rushed at Elsa and delivered a kick, but the woman rolled, spinning out of the way to avoid it. He punched, but she flipped off of his arm and rolled along his back. The Captain stared at her and she smiled.

He tried to punch her again, but Elsa stepped behind him and moved to the side to match his movements. The Captain whirled to kick her, but she flipped and landed on his leg with both hands. She walked up him with her hand and onto his shoulders before flipping off and landing a few feet away.

The Captain stared in the Major's direction, as if confused by Elsa's behavior.

"Ahah!" the Major laughed, clapping. "Bravo, Elsa! You use your skills in dance to evade your opponents! Wonderful! Simply wonderful!"

Elsa smiled at the Captain. "Should we continue, sir?"

He tilted his head at her as she did a little twirl, humming a happy tune to herself. He charged again and Elsa side-stepped him, twisting across his back once more. She performed a few twirls for good measure. Zorin chuckled with amusement and the Doctor leaned down to the Major.

"I think she understands, Major." he said.

"Ah, I believe she does." the Major replied, smiling.

O

Caspar, Zorin and Elsa sat together, discussing the recent events of her advancement in Millennium.

"So, granddaughter," Caspar said, smiling. "How does it feel to be a vampire?"

Elsa smiled. "I didn't think it'd be this amazing."

Jan and Luke were in the middle of conversation as they approached.

"...so you're gay now?" Jan muttered.

"No, I'm not gay. I'm just not going to have sex with every woman who crosses my path. I'm not my dear joke of a young brother."

"I think... I mean, that sounds pretty gay," Jan said. "That's like you saying 'Oh, I'm not into fucking women. So I guess I'm into fucking dudes'."

Luke sighed, rolling his eyes. "How many times have we had this conversation? How many times?"

"Hey, it's cool. I'm not gonna judge you."

He grinned and looked down at Elsa.

"Hey! Elsa! I almost didn't recognize you without your lips on Zorin's asshole." Jan joked.

Zorin didn't even look up as she elbowed him in the stomach. Jan doubled over with a groan and held himself. Elsa let out a small guffaw and Caspar chuckled.

"Sometimes, I swear you ask for it." Luke told him, annoyed.

Elsa laughed a little.

Caspar stood up. "So...are you ready, Elsa?"

Zorin frowned. "Ready for what?"

"Oh, she is going to put on a performance today," Caspar explained, "She has asked that I be a part of it."

"Why?"

"It's the first performance I will have done with family. It's just something I've always wanted to do."

Elsa flashed a smile and walked by, kissing the top of Zorin's head.

Later on, in the auditorium, Elsa was performing a song with her grandfather. It was initially strange seeing a Waffen-SS soldier performing such, but they both did so with such passion and joy. Elsa seemed to genuinely enjoy herself as well.

Zorin arched an eyebrow when Elsa winked at her from the stage.

Still a child as ever...

That evening, Elsa was going through a few boxes of papers while Zorin impatiently waited for her to come to bed.

"Elsa, that's enough looking." she said. "Come to bed."

"Give me a moment. I... Oh! Look!"

She held up an old flier with a grin on her face.

It was a circus advertisement that had a drawing of what Zorin guessed was Elsa and silly caricatures of rodents around her.

**THE RAT WHISPERER - ELSA VON BAUER**

_Live_

_100% REAL_

_From Circus Roncalli's Menagerie of Monstrosities_

Elsa laughed a little. "Oh my. I can't believe this is here. You must have surely done your research before finding me." she said. "Ugh, they never could get my hair right in these things."

Zorin sighed. "Elsa. Bed. NOW."

"Okay. I'm coming." Elsa clambered up onto the bed at Zorin's order.

They relaxed and Zorin closed her eyes, ready to sleep until Elsa began making smacking sounds with her lips. She opened one eye and huffed, annoyed.

"Go to sleep, Elsa. Before I put you to sleep." she warned.

"I thought you could stay awake for four weeks. I can't sleep. I'm wide awake."

Zorin huffed. "Fine. Stay awake. I don't care."

Elsa watched her for a moment before she smiled and climbed on top of her. Zorin looked annoyed, but heaved a sigh and didn't seem willing to push her off.

"I'm not in the mood, Elsa."

Elsa arched her eyebrows, surprised. "Since when?"

"Since what you said today."

"About the woman?"

Zorin nodded. "Yeah. It...confused me. I just need some time to think. Now...get off." She pushed the younger vampire from her.

"Oh." Elsa frowned. "I see. Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Just shut up about it. You just couldn't let it go, could you? I told you I never wanted to talk about it."

Elsa sat there, frowning thoughtfully. She took Zorin's hand and began slapping her face with it. Zorin looked confused to all hell before she sighed impatiently.

"What are you doing?" she snapped.

"I'm taking your pain into myself," Elsa said, continuing to slap her face with Zorin's hand. "Mona and I did this when we'd accidentally do something to wrong the other."

"Oh yeah. That's another thing. Stop talking about that dead girl!" Zorin spat, yanking her hand from Elsa. "I'm sick of hearing it. You're not with her. You're with me!"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "That's not fair."

"FAIR?!" Zorin looked at her in disbelief. "I've been accused of many things, but no one has ever accused me of being fair. I think I'm actually insulted right now, Liebchen."

Elsa sighed. "I don't want to fight."

"I'm not fighting. I'm telling you."

"I don't want to fight. Not tonight."

She stood up and walked to the desk nearest the bed. "I'll just spend tonight going through some of these papers. I'll give you your space."

Zorin glared at her as Elsa scooped a box of documents up and left the room.

She let out a furious huff and slammed her head down on the pillow.

O

_1943_

_Germany_

_Uncharted Allied Base_

_An explosion rang out around them._

_Zorin was disoriented, blood gushing from the wounds she had sustained. A faceless woman led her from the chaos, hanging her on her arm as she struggled to focus on the world around her. The sounds of Russian shouts in the distance could barely be heard through the haze of pain._

_"Zorin, you need to walk!"_

_"Huh... what?" Zorin barely managed to mumble._

_"Come on!"_

_Then, there was the sound of a gunshot near her ear and a familiar scream._

_The woman was screaming and Zorin could only hear her blood ringing in her ears. She watched her world spin and dim before she fell. _

_She was missing half of her head from a gunshot, but somehow managed to see the desperate face of that woman before she lost touch with reality._

_Darkness welcomed her, but it was not to be._

_"Do you know why I hate you?"_

_"Because you were not supposed to happen. You were a mistake. I should have killed you the moment you were born."_

_A face._

_A screaming, slavering beast._

_The tears of a mother._

_The marks of a father._

Zorin awoke from the dream with a gasp. She sat up and looked around the room, but noticed Elsa was still not there. She furrowed her brow and climbed out of bed, walking to a mirror before touching the place below her disproportionate eye.

It didn't bother her. That was how it had healed. It made her look frightening to her enemies.

So why did she still hate it so much?

A single rat lingered in the room, watching her from the desk. Zorin exhaled, weary. She left the room and decided to look for Elsa. She was led to the library and found Elsa asleep at a desk and Caspar covering her with his jacket. He glanced up at the sight of Zorin entering.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Uhm... it's three in the morning, First Lieutenant." he said. "Elsa's been up doing research."

Zorin looked down at Elsa and sighed. "This girl is an idiot."

Caspar chuckled. "Yes, sometimes. But she's learning. We all do at some point."

"I don't know what it is. But Elsa stays loyal."

"Yes, sir. Elsa knows where her loyalties lie. If I may speak freely, First Lieutenant; she has nothing but good things to say about you. I've never seen a happier girl."

Zorin nodded. She felt a little uncomfortable by this talk with the woman's grandfather. "I'll take it from here, Sergeant." she told him.

"Yes, sir."

Caspar departed from the library and Zorin sighed, picking Elsa up into her arms. The younger vampire yawned sleepily and looked up at her.

"Sorry. I was up a little later than I thought." she said.

"I'm not worried about that. Let's just get to bed."

"Okay." Elsa smiled sleepily and snuggled into Zorin's arm.

"Your not angry at me as you would usually be."

"I'm used to your behavior at this point, dear. I take it as it comes naturally." Elsa murmured, when they entered the bedroom. "Who am I to judge anyone? I'm a freak, after all."

She smiled as Zorin laid her in the bed and began undoing her boots.

"Hm. Tending to me?" Elsa queried, chuckling. "That's new."

Zorin rolled her eyes. "I don't want you kicking me with those boots."

"Still, I appreciate all the little gestures." Elsa closed her eyes.

"All right. Jacket off." Zorin ordered.

Elsa murmured and sat up, removing her jacket and tossing it to the floor. She looked so tired, but content and plopped back down on the pillow. Zorin joined her in the bed and stared down at the younger vampire.

"I'm sorry." Elsa finally said.

"For what?"

"All of that stuff I said. I know what I told you. Sometimes I forget myself." Elsa told her.

Zorin closed her eyes. "Just go to sleep."

"Okay."

They were quiet for a moment before Elsa spoke up.

"Zorin?"

An annoyed growl answered her.

"I'm sorry. But tomorrow, can we - "

"Elsa. I will let you do whatever you want, tomorrow. Just go the FUCK to sleep!"

Elsa laughed a little. "I'm holding you to that."

"Whatever."

They were quiet again until Elsa spoke up.

"Zorin."

"What?" the older vampire snapped, softer now.

"Pleasant dreams."

Zorin laid there, her eyes wide before she sighed impatiently and wrapped an arm around Elsa's shoulders. The younger vampire brightened and snuggled into her.

"Get your ass over here." Zorin muttered, grumpy.

O

_Note - _Filler chapter. No other way to describe it. And no excuse for the fluff. Couldn't resist.


	12. XII

**~O~**

**XII**

_Several Years Later_

Millennium was on the move.

They traveled in the Deus Ex Machina, returning to Germany after their journey of travelling the world in silence. Elsa had seen more in her time with Millennium than she had in her old life. She had almost forgotten the past and all of its horrors.

On Zorin's end, she was content with her partner in the years they had spent together. The better part of Elsa was that she was usually eager and willing to experiment with anything Zorin wanted to try. Most of her previous consorts didn't possess the stomach for some of her "experiments". But Elsa seemed to enjoy herself, at the very least.

"Come on, little ones," Elsa told her rats while she was cleaning herself in the shower. "Let's get ready."

The rats scurried from the shower room as soon as Elsa was dressed. She met with Zorin and they reclined on a couch together. Zorin had her arm over Elsa's shoulders and the pair listened to Tubalcain offer a deal for a weapon he had smuggled specifically for her.

So far, the deal he was making seemed steep.

"Come now, my dear," Tubalcain insisted, "You're not really helping my profits."

Elsa tilted her head, studying the knife in the case; it was quite beautiful, with a bent, double-bladed end and black hilt. Zorin whistled her approval once they had first laid eyes on it.

"Well, maybe if you give us a demonstration...?" Elsa suggested.

Tubalcain smiled. "But of course!"

He took the blade from the case and beckoned to a soldier standing nearby. "Could you come here for a moment, please?" he asked, "Come on. Yes. Just stand there for me. Good."

He stabbed the soldier in the hip. The vampire screamed in pain and Tubalcain twisted the knife before yanking it out in a spray of blood. Elsa winced before chuckling. Zorin just rolled her eyes.

"Suck it up, you asshole." she said, to the whimpering vampire.

"Even for a vampire, that wound won't close right," Tubalcain told the two women. His eyes fell on Elsa. "Now then, is the price more than fair this time?"

Elsa looked at Zorin. "What do you think?"

"Just get it. You've been debating for the passed several minutes now."

"Okay. Mister Alahambra." Elsa said, smiling. "You have a deal."

Tubalcain winced. "That's ALHAMBRA." he corrected.

"Oh! I did it again. I'm sorry."

Tubalcain rolled his eyes briefly before offering her the weapon. "You've made a wise choice, Miss. Bauer. It certainly suits your fingers."

"Thank you."

Elsa took the weapon and performed a few quick, almost lopsided swipes. Zorin laughed and Tubalcain joined in, stopping her from getting too overeager.

"Whoa, take it easy, Miss. Bauer." Tubalcain laughed. "Save it for Hellsing."

O

"Where is that idiot now?"

Zorin had been searching the entire zeppelin for Elsa, but could find no signs of her. It was getting close to her time for her mission in Cheddar Village and she was nowhere to be seen.

A single rat led her into the storage room where they kept old World War Two documents and uniforms. There had been towers of boxes and crates where everything was being kept and sure enough, she found Elsa sitting in a box, surrounded by rats and papers.

"Now don't start," she scolded one of them, "I told you it was covered in dust." She frowned down at another rat. "No, you can't eat these papers."

"Elsa?" Zorin said, impatiently. "What are you doing in here? Didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"Sorry. I got a little curious." Elsa explained, grinning sheepishly.

She picked up a SS officer hat. The totenkopf was cracked slightly, the colors worn and tattered from fifty years of neglect and previous war. The Reichsadler above it sporting the Swastika was also broken and even seemed to have a few old bloodstains on it.

Elsa studied it and straightened, staring at the name in the brim. "Hey, I think I found your old hat." she said.

Zorin was curious now and walked over, taking it.

The name on the inside read: Z. Blitz.

"Hey, this IS my old hat." she laughed. "I thought I lost it. God, those were the days of my youth. Marching like geese with sticks up our asses, eh?"

She put it on Elsa's head and it fell over the younger vampire's eyes. Elsa laughed and peeked out at Zorin. "Wow. I would never believed your head was bigger than mine." Elsa joked, lifting the brim a bit.

Zorin snorted and pulled it down over her eyes again.

"Come on, you idiot," she said, a touch more fond than before, "Mission time."

"Can I keep the hat?"

Zorin sighed. "If you want."

Elsa followed her down the corridors, paging through a photo album. She tilted her head and studied a group photo of SS officers. She recognized Zorin among them.

"Your eye." Elsa said, "It's...different in this photo."

"Is it?" Zorin leaned to the side to see. "Oh. Well, that was before I was shot in the face."

Elsa looked stunned. Then, she made a face. "Oh. You told me about that..."

"I like it, actually. It makes me look much more terrifying, I think."

"Or in my opinion, beautiful." Elsa said, kissing her cheek.

Zorin rolled her eyes with a murmur. "You're so fucking sappy sometimes."

It was only when Zorin was given compliments about how "beautiful" the younger vampire considered her to be, Elsa found her that she seemed...uncomfortable. She must have never heard it enough in her life. The idea that anyone found her pleasing to look at was probably confusing. So Elsa had to ask.

"Does that bother you?" Elsa questioned.

"No. I just don't see a necessity in such things."

"No. I've known you. You don't appreciate sentimentality."

"It's for silly girls."

Elsa considered this before laughing. "I'm a silly girl, then?"

"Ah, no. Well, sometimes. Just... Ugh, will you shut up?"

"All right, I will."

Zorin cleared her throat. "Good. Now when you arrive in Cheddar, you know what to do," she said. "Do me proud then, Liebchen."

Elsa smiled. "Always."

She kept that old picture of Zorin anyway before fitting on a long coat.

Because she just loved any reason to see her smile. Even if it was in an old photograph.

O

Elsa reported to a priest in Cheddar.

He had been a freshly transformed vampire posing as such to lure Hellsing to the location in question. He had not acted out just yet until he had received Millennium's orders.

"Now you know what you need to do," Elsa said. "My superiors expect progress."

"And progress they shall have," the priest assured her. "Cheddar will become nothing more than my personal graveyard."

Elsa nodded. "Good. Have fun. And if you fail, my rats will easily pick away at your flesh."

She was being watched by the Doctor and the Werewolves on their monitors.

"Ah, see how fierce she's grown?" Zorin said, feeling absurdly proud of her.

Elsa left the church and stared up at the pale white face of the moon. She recalled the words of her fellow Millennium operatives before she took on this mission alone.

_Rip and Schrodinger gave Elsa advice on her newest kill she would make alone._

_"Maybe play hard to get, Elsa!" Schrodinger teased. "Get him to follow you."_

_Rip grinned, giggling. "Ja! Sounds wonderful!"_

_Elsa frowned. "Hard to get?"_

_"Just work your magic, dear." Rip suggested, "Use what you have."_

_Elsa frowned thoughtfully. _

_"Show time soon, Elsa!" the Doctor announced, passing them._

_Elsa paced a little and turned to Zorin. "I'm nervous."_

_Zorin smiled and gently brushed a lock of hair from her face. "Just be yourself." _

_Elsa nodded her head and turned to the doors. Zorin, Rip and Schrodinger watched as she disappeared out into the night, smiling._

Elsa smiled thoughtfully and closed her eyes. She sent her rats across the streets of Cheddar. Through their eyes, she could see passing individuals making their way to their nightly routines. But there was one. She spotted a man in the middle of arguing with a woman.

Thirty-two years old.

Perfect.

Elsa followed the man by scaling the nearby buildings, keeping well out of sight. She needed a good meal and catching him alone would no doubt be easy for her.

A rat climbed up the length of her back and perched on her shoulders. She smiled cheerfully and gave its chin a little scratch. Her prey was wandering toward a car. One quick swoop and she could snatch him without anyone noticing.

"Lovely night tonight, wouldn't you say?" Elsa told the animal.

A chitter.

"Ah. I know. It reminds me of home... No, I don't miss it. I would _never _miss such a place." Elsa's eyes narrowed when she spoke.

She slid down the length of a drainpipe and started forward, but a familiar voice froze her where she stood.

"Elsa?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

_No. It CAN'T be..._

She turned, coming face-to-face with a familiar man she had known in the theater. Though the years had almost left her forgetting such things, she never could forget his face. She had performed with him many times on stage. That goofy-looking pair of blue eyes, sandy-colored hair and scrawny body.

Gunter Braun.

She couldn't believe she was staring at him right now. And apparently, neither could he.

"Elsa!" he exclaimed, grinning widely with relief and delight. "My God, you're here! You're ACTUALLY here! I can't believe it! I thought you were dead!"

Elsa looked embarrassed now. All of a sudden, she felt like her old, timid self again and her heart began beating faster. For any reason, she did not know. "No. Not entirely."

But she didn't like it either.

On the screens, the Werewolves reacted to the sight of the man.

"Who the hell is that?" Zorin snapped.

The Major chuckled and glanced toward his subordinate briefly. "Ah, Doctor? Who is that again? Oh yes! His name is Gunter Braun. One of Elsa's fellow theater performers," he said. He looked at Zorin once more. "I believe he put out a Missing Person's report the day you took Elsa and brought her to us."

"Ja. That he did, Major." the Doctor replied, with a chuckle.

"What an interesting test of fate that he would be here now..." the Major said.

Elsa's vitals seemed to increase on the monitors.

_"Gunter. I'm...surprised to see you."_

_"So am I! I'm glad you're alive! Thank God."_

_"It's not God you should thank for my living, Gunter."_

_"What?"_

"I'm going out there," Zorin said, turning to go. "That little fucker's going to hear it from me."

"No." the Major told her. "Elsa has been one of us for years now. I trust she will make the right choice that benefits us all."

Eventually, Elsa's vitals began to slow and balance out appropriately. Zorin frowned at the sight, but still remained anxious. She had not counted on that fool looking for Elsa and felt stupid for it. Elsa was a popular theater performer. Despite having few friends, she should have assumed that at least one of them would try to seek her out.

"Gunter, you should go." Elsa advised the younger man.

He looked flabberghast now, the smile disappearing from his face. "Go?" he cried. "Elsa, you disappeared for YEARS. I last saw you leaving for dinner that night in the back of the theater. We all thought you had died! I was told to give up, so I went searching for you!"

Elsa looked confused. "Why?"

"WHY?! You're my friend, Elsa! Whatever it is. Whatever you've got going on, we can deal with it!" Gunter cried, hurt and angry that she was so nonchalant about it.

"No. We can't." Elsa said, simply. "Not anymore. Go home, Gunter."

Gunter stood there, shocked.

"What's happened to you?" he exclaimed, his voice low, "You're not the same Elsa I remembered."

"No. I'm not. Satisfied?" Elsa said, evenly. "Now go. Or I will _make _you go."

Zorin smiled, impressed with Elsa's resolve. Perhaps she had been wrong to doubt her after all. Not a single waver this time in her words. Nor a simple hesitation in her response. She had been taught well.

Gunter refused to move.

"Last warning, Gunter." Elsa told him, sadly. "If you don't go, I will have to hurt you."

"No, you won't." Gunter said, defiantly. "I know you, Elsa. I know you'd never hurt anywone."

A scornful laugh. "Did you really?"

"Yes!"

Elsa sighed and gave him a cold stare. "Do you remember the stories about Circus Roncalli? The legend of the troupe that had been eaten by the shadows of hell? Yes. Such a ridiculous little rumor, eh?"

Gunter didn't see what that had to do with anything. "Yeah?"

"That was me. I killed those people."

Gunter looked horrified. "What?!"

"I met someone, Gunter. Someone who showed me the truth," she told him, "Someone I would pick before anyone else I rotted away with." She was surprised at how easy this was. "This person showed me the true nature of life. That whatever my struggles were as a human, they would amount to nothing. So do not assume you do not know what I am capable of. You do not know what I have done."

"Elsa, wait, I - " Gunter cut himself off.

Her eyes flashed red and Gunter's own widened.

"I warned you, Gunter." Elsa said, sadly. "I'm so sorry. But you leave me no choice."

His scream died down when Elsa was upon him with a feral snarl. Blood sprayed across the walls and ground while Elsa fed.

O

Elsa returned to the compound, covered in blood.

"Elsa! Wunderbar!" the Doctor praised. "Mission successful." He studied her up and down. "My, my, you are certainly a mess!"

Elsa laughed a little. "Ja. I made certain he was erased from existence."

"Good girl." the Doctor said, "Now then. Maybe a bath is in order."

Elsa turned and a few gasps behind her made her frown back at them. "What?" she asked.

"Uh, Elsa?" Rip said, concerned. "You have a little something...well...in your back."

Elsa turned a few times to see it, but she did not notice the knife embedded in the middle portion of her back. When she glanced toward a reflective surface, she saw it and her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh! Oh God, there's a knife in my back!" she cried, almost hysterical. "He must have pulled a knife when I attacked him!"

"Now now, don't panic..." the Doctor suggested, raising two hands.

"'Don't panic'?" Elsa shrieked. "_Küss mein Arsch_!" Her words wrought forth a wide-eyed stare from the Doctor. "You're not the one with a knife in your back! Oh God, I did not even feel it! How did I not feel it?"

Rip went to take it out. "You are a vampire, remember? Not much pain applies, dearie. Now let me - "

"NO!" Elsa whirled, away from her hands. "Don't touch it!"

It became a comical mess as everyone tried to take the knife out of Elsa and assure her, but she dodged their hands. Eventually, the Captain stepped up and grabbed the knife, yanking it from her in one swift pull. Elsa shrieked and looked back at him.

"_Danke_..." she groaned.

She collapsed to the floor, unconscious and the Captain stared down at the knife in his hand. The Doctor sighed and patted his shoulder once.

"Thank you, Captain." he said.

Rip smiled happily. "Well. That went better than I expected!"

A dirty look from the Doctor made her shrug.

"What?"

O

"Hm. It's healing."

"Ja. It was silver. It had to be silver. I forgot that Gunter likes his jewelry."

"I remember when you acted like such a baby about about silver."

"Ahaha. Yes. Well, it doesn't hurt as much now."

Zorin studied Elsa's back wound for a moment that evening in their bedroom. Despite the numbness, she claimed it didn't hurt as much. It still looked raw, but had stopped bleeding.

"Well, I feel better. A good meal helps." Elsa said, chuckling.

She closed her eyes and leaned forward. Zorin massaged her shoulders a little.

"I can't say I'm not surprised, Liebchen." she said.

Elsa glanced back at her partially. "What do you mean?"

"What happened in Cheddar with your old friend," Zorin said, "You didn't hesitate."

Elsa winced. "I did at first. For a few seconds."

"Did you?"

"Yes." Elsa shrugged her shoulders now. "It was strange, really. I thought I would hesitate, but it became easier to deny him. At first, I felt how sad it was. We were good friends in the theater. He knew little about me and only assumed I really liked rats as pets. He never knew I could control them. But it is as you said; I am with you now and I am happy."

She closed her eyes with a murmur of content when she felt those hands move to cup her breasts. The massage Zorin did with her hands was amazing and she made an effort not to seem too desperate for it, even though the two hadn't had a chance for some time to themselves in a while.

They both had pride issues. She could admit it.

"Well, that's good." Zorin told her.

Elsa chuckled. "Don't worry so much."

"I don't worry about anything."

"Uh-huh..."

Zorin rolled her eyes and leaned forward, arching an eyebrow at Elsa. "Don't get snippy with me, you hear?" she warned, "You know how I hate that. I was just thinking that stupid young fop would ruin everything. It only ever takes one idiot, you know."

Elsa smirked playfully back at her. "Really?"

"Yeah, re - Oh, I see what you did."

Zorin gave her a swat on the ass when she crawled on the other side of the bed to retrieve something.

"We have to get back to work soon," Zorin said, evenly. "We're meeting with the old timers. I told you about them. Remember? God knows none of us aren't the least bit thrilled about it."

Elsa sighed, still rooting. "I know."

"What are you doing anyway?" Zorin asked.

"I had something I was saving for later, but I wanted to give it to you now." Elsa said. "Ack! Zorin, the underside of this bed is really filthy. There's a spider under here. Oh! Here it is!"

"Elsa, you put all this effort into making sure I remember your birthday and you're giving me something?"

Elsa smiled. "I did not."

"And the sticky notes all over the door, my bathroom, and my scythe were just an accident then?"

"I hardly covered your scythe in them."

"It took me ten minutes to get them all off."

Elsa looked embarrassed before she held out a little envelope. "Oh fine. Here."

"What is this?" Zorin asked, shaking it a little. It felt heavy.

"It took me a few years, but I managed to find this." Elsa told her. "They had it stored at the World War Two museum's archives. I thought you'd want it."

Zorin frowned curiously and opened it. It was a worn name badge and a patch. The name read Eva Dietrich. Zorin blinked slowly, running her fingers over it before she stared at Elsa in disbelief.

"How did you get this?" she asked, stunned.

Elsa shrugged innocently. "It wasn't easy. I found it in an odd place. Traitors of war."

"Hm. Well, Eva Dietrich was not her real name," Zorin said, distracted by the name badge. "She was an American spy, sent to infiltrate Hitler's inner circle."

"Oh..." Elsa murmured. She made a face when she began to add them together. "I...see."

"It's quite something that you were able to come across this, but I won't be needing it. I'm not sentimental like that."

Elsa thought about this for a moment before she smiled. "So you fell in love with an American woman, eh?"

"Shut up."

"No, no. There's nothing wrong with that. Americans were some of my best customers. Tourist season was bustling quite a bit in the late seventies."

Zorin gave her a little push. "Well, as it stands, I also have a gift for you."

Elsa brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah. But you can't have it until after work."

"Aww."

"Don't whine, Elsa. Now get up. Get ready."

Elsa sighed and climbed out of bed. "Very well."

She watched Elsa disappear into the bathroom before scowling. "And you can stop goose-stepping!"

O

Zorin sighed.

Making her presence known for the old "free-loaders" was annoying.

She stood there and waited for the elevator that would lead them to the hangar, an arm draped possessively over Elsa's shoulders. Elsa seemed to notice that she looked distracted.

The entered the hangar and joined the other Werewolves. The Major was speaking to a Nazi Colonel, one Elsa was not familiar with. It seemed like the Colonel was furious with the Major's words.

"What the hell is this, Major?" the Colonel demanded.

The Major grinned widely.

"There is no way I can tell you that, Colonel," the Major told him, in a bit of a biting tone. "My orders are top secret from the late Fuhrer."

The Colonel cracked him across the face with one fist. Elsa's eyes widened as the Major fell to the floor with a small grunt of pain.

The hangar had grown deathly silent now.

All around the scene, vampires had stopped to stare in disbelief. Who did this impudent Colonel think he was? But it seemed he failed to notice the change in atmosphere.

"Don't you DARE take that attitude with me!" he shouted, his voice high with rage. He raised his cane over his head before he began beating the Major across the back with it.

Elsa winced at the wet sounds of the cane contacting the Major's body.

"WHY WON'T YOU TURN US INTO VAMPIRES?!" the Colonel shrieked. "WHY?! ANSWER ME YOU MISERABLE SWINE!"

Finally, Rip aimed her musket and took a shot that obliterated the Colonel's cane to splinters. The Colonel reacted with a cry of fright and he looked toward the Werewolves.

"That's enough backtalk, Colonel." Zorin sneered. "One more childish outburst and I'll blow your fucking head off."

The Colonel reacted with frighted sounds when every vampire in the hangar pointed their weapons at him. Elsa simply twirled her knife on her finger with a smirk. The Major slowly staggered to his feet, grinning madly. Blood gushed down his mouth.

"What do I want?" he hissed, "To cherish this war. And the next. And the next!"

The Colonel was trembling. Sweat beaded across his wrinkled brow. He looked around at his "allies". They were ready to stand and fight for this pudgy Major without a moment's hesitation. Why? This self-proclaimed Fuhrer was nothing more than a madman!

His eyes fell on Elsa.

"Wait, you!" he cried, pointing at her.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder briefly to see if he was pointing at someone else. She frowned at the Colonel, somewhat confused.

"You... I've seen your face before..." he said, still sweating.

Zorin frowned down at Elsa for some form of explanation.

"I'm afraid you're confused." Elsa replied, equally as such. "I've never met you before in my life. And I've seen all types in my day."

The Colonel grinned now, nodding his head. "I knew I had seen you somewhere before!" he cried, "No. But you can't be who you are. No. She was just a stupid little performer. A freak! A waste on society! No one like you could serve Millennium's goals!"

Elsa's eyes narrowed.

"Why?!" the Colonel screeched, his face reddening. "Why turn something like that, but not US?!"

Elsa arched an eyebrow. "You want to know?"

The Colonel didn't answer. Truthfully, he looked like he was seconds from wetting himself from the multitudes of vampires aiming their weapons at him. All they needed was the word from the Major and it would all be over for him and his fellow "oldies".

Elsa raised her hands and immediately, throngs of rats swarmed into the hangar, surrounding the old Nazi soldiers along with the vampires. The Major laughed at the sight, regarding the Colonel with all the authority of a man prepared to command the legions of hell.

"There is your answer, Colonel!"

When Elsa departed from the others, she stepped into a stall to get some time to herself.

She let out a groan and began slapping her forehead with two hands, screaming, "I hate you" over and over again like a child throwing a tantrum.

O

"Do you want to watch Luke and Jan?"

"No."

Rip had suggested Elsa watch the scene of the two brothers arriving at the Hellsing mansion, but she had no desire to do so. In fact, she really wanted to stay in her room for a while. She had her head laying on the desk and two pencils in her hand.

"Elsa, you should have gone to hell with all the freaks..." she mocked, in a deep voice for one of the pencils.

"Oh! Funny thing about hell, father. I'm already in it. But thank you for the offer." she mocked, for the other, in a higher, falsetto voice.

Elsa snarled and threw the pencils to the floor.

A rat was watching her and she snorted, giving the animal a look.

"Don't judge me." she snapped. "You knew what he was."

The rat continued to stare.

Elsa sighed and arched an eyebrow. "Maybe you're the lucky one. You didn't know your father," she told the animal. "You don't have his shadow hovering over you every waking second."

Later on, Zorin entered the room after spending a good bit of time looking for Elsa. The woman was sitting in a chair, brushing a rat in her lap with a small comb. She had a record player running, playing the song "Fly Me to the Moon". By Bart Howard.

"The Valentine brothers are dead." Zorin told her.

Elsa reacted only the slightest when she heard the news from Zorin.

"Oh." Elsa finally said, absently. "That's terrible. I was just starting to like Jan."

"What's the matter with you?" Zorin asked, taking a seat beside her.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

Elsa grimaced. "It's not important."

"Elsa, you've been quiet all day." Zorin quipped. "When you're not talking my ear off, I always get the hint that someone's gotten under your skin."

Elsa sighed. "No. Just...what that Colonel said..."

Zorin scoffed, surprised. "You mean that little freeloader got to you?"

Elsa shrugged her shoulders with a noncommittal grunt.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Zorin laughed. "How did that piece of shit ruffle your feathers so bad? I've never seen you like this before!"

It was true. Elsa's "tantrums" usually happened when she was alone. She kept them bottled up - became quite good at doing so - because truth be told, she was ashamed of herself for them. After she would have a fit like this, it usually left her quite tired emotionally and physically. These little fits made her feel emotionally stunted - like a child - and she didn't even want Zorin to know about it. Maybe the other vampire did and didn't care, or she was good at hiding it.

Either way, Elsa didn't share Zorin's amusement about the whole ordeal. She still stared down at her rat as she continued brushing him.

"Hey, sometimes people say stupid shit. Then sometimes, you have to - "

Elsa frowned thoughtfully. "This is different."

"Oh..." Zorin's smile disappeared.

"That fellow just... Well, my father had said the same things to me," Elsa said, waving it off with a dismissing hand, "Not really in those exact words, but almost the same. It was just a little strange hearing them again."

Zorin sat there, thinking about this.

"Fathers are pricks," she said. "You just kill them and move on."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "What would that prove?" she sighed, "It won't change what happened between my father and me. It's not worth it."

"It IS. You're still thinking on it, obviously!"

"So what if I am?"

Zorin snorted and rose. "You'll face him eventually. I'll see to that."

"No, you won't."

O

Elsa was snipping her fingernails and watched in amazement as they grew back almost instantly.

Rip laughed at her clueless expression.

"All right, I can understand regenerating wounds," Elsa said, frowning. "But the fingernails really grow back?"

"It all does, dearie." Rip assured her.

Elsa murmured thoughtfully and snipped another nail. She pursed her lips with a murmur of frustration when it regenerated instantly. Bits of her nails lay scattered around her. She snipped another and it ricocheted off of the table and across the walls before hitting a vampire in the back of the head.

"Sorry!" Elsa called, wincing.

Rip giggled a little.

"Elsa."

Elsa didn't glance up when Zorin approached her. "Yes?" she asked, focusing too much on her nails.

"I have a surprise for you. Get dressed." Zorin told her.

Elsa glanced down at herself briefly before tilting her head at the woman's request. Zorin rolled her eyes with a sound of annoyance.

"You KNOW what I mean. Get your coat. We're going out." she ordered.

Elsa shrugged. "Okay. What are we doing?"

Zorin grinned. She seemed quite excited. "You'll see."

Elsa frowned, but stood up and gathered her coat. Rip joined her with a grin on her face, as if she knew something that the younger vampire did not. She looked at Zorin suspiciously.

"What are you planning, Zorin?" she asked.

"Like I said, you'll see. Now shut up."

"Shouldn't we clear this with the Major first?"

"Already done. He knows what's going on. In fact, he strongly supports it."

"Tell me what it is."

"No."

While the three vampires left the Deus Ex Machina, Elsa continued to press both of them about what they were planning, but they refused. Zorin suggested that this was her present, but that's all she told her. While they traveled to the empty streets of an old German village, they kept to the shadows.

Elsa sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "All right. I didn't want to do this. But you've forced my hand, Zorin dear." she told the older vampire.

She took a deep inhale and began poking Zorin's shoulder. Rip let out a guffaw as Zorin slowly began to look angrier and angrier by this repetitive nonsense.

"Elsa. Stop doing that or I'm biting off your finger." she warned. "Stop. I mean it, Elsa. Fucking stop it! What are you, four years old?!"

"In human or vampire years?"

Zorin snorted and made a frustrated sound before she looked ahead and grinned. "Ah! We're here!"

Elsa looked up and noticed a farmhouse in the distance. She frowned thoughtfully and looked at the two women, who grinned at her, as if she was supposed to understand.

"A house..." she said. "What's so special about it?"

"This is where your father lives." Rip said, giggling excitedly.

Elsa's smile faded now. She frowned at Zorin. "What?"

"Come on! Let's meet him!" Rip exclaimed, rushing toward the house.

Zorin followed and glanced back at Elsa, who stood there, quite hesitant. "Elsa, hurry it up!" she ordered. "This'll be fun!"

Elsa still hesitated until she finally decided to follow them.


	13. XIII

**~O~**

**XIII**

Fifty-five year old Klaus Bauer heard the sound of windowpanes rattling.

He stood up from his bed and approached a record player that had been playing "Guided Missiles" before he lifted the needle to silence it. Frowning, the older man looked outside, to the seemingly endless fields of wheat and grain he had been growing.

He retrieved his hunting rifle from beneath his bed and made his way down the stairs, wearing only a tank top and a pair of khakis. Ever since the days of hiding away from those seeking justice from the Nazi's, anyone could have come to collect him. He had dealt with his share of harassment from the public for as long as he could remember.

He failed to notice a few rats perched on the windowsills outside. Their eyes almost glowed with cold, venomous intent, reflecting the thirst for blood...

The soft sound of chanting could be heard in the wind; it was faint, but definitely there. Klaus tilted his head, frowning at the noise before an abrupt sensation passed through him. A tingling that twisted itself through his legs, freezing him where he stood. It came like a flashback, and several rows of Germanic runes washed across his field of vision.

His eyes widened with shock.

He saw flashes of memory.

His mother-in-law, Hanna.

Lying in bed, asleep.

Klaus was walking up to the bed and looking down at her. He seemed to be talking with her before he covered her head with a pillow. She thrashed beneath him and it almost looked like Klaus had a disturbingly eerie grin of satisfaction on his face.

Klaus shook his head rapidly, attempting to be rid of the horrible memory. When he squeezed his eyes shut and counted, he opened them again and found the hallways empty and dark once more. He rubbed his forehead with one hand and attempted to calm himself before making his way down the stairs.

Klaus stepped into the kitchen and found the door wide open. The wind occasionally moved it. He swallowed thickly and closed it before turning, coming-face-to-face with Zorin.

The vampire flashed a grin and he let out a frightened shout, aiming his rifle. But Zorin grabbed it and wrenched it from his hands, sending him falling to the floor. He hurriedly backed away from her and bumped his shoulders into the counter.

"Please, take whatever you want. My money? There's plenty upstairs." he begged, his thick German accent filled with all the effects of age, "I'll cooperate."

Zorin smirked, shaking her head. "I don't want your fucking money, old man."

Klaus looked up when Rip stepped into the kitchen, smiling.

"Ah, so YOU'RE the daddy we've heard so much about!" she said, cheerfully. Then, her cheer disappeared, slowly replaced with maliciousness. "The dirty little boy. You've been naughty. VERY naughty."

Klaus looked up when another figure entered the kitchen. He failed to realize that almost hundreds of rats had filled the house until he stopped to look around. Their sounds almost deafened him, but perhaps it was because they seemed louder in that quiet little kitchen. Louder to him because they were so close...

Elsa's eyes narrowed when she saw him again after so many years. Her heart had begun racing again and all of those terrible memories came back at her, but she forced herself to calm. After all, there was no reason for fear him anymore. She was a vampire and he a withered old man. Interestingly enough, Klaus didn't seem to recognize her for a moment until he studied all the rats.

"Elsa..." he gasped.

"Good evening, daddy." she said.

Klaus trembled and slowly rose, studying his daughter with shock. Elsa stared back impassively. For a moment, no one did anything.

Then, Elsa moved quickly and grabbed Klaus by the back of his neck, drawing a choking gasp from him. Elsa kicked the kitchen door open and began dragging him outside into the cold, crisp night. He grabbed uselessly at her arm. Rip giggled at the sight and Zorin smirked, knowing this was going to get interesting.

They followed Elsa as she dragged Klaus, kicking and groaning toward the barn. She forced the doors open and threw him inside.

Klaus grunted as he tumbled across the hay-covered floor of the barn and struggled to stand. Elsa was already upon him with a horrible kick of her jackboots to his face. Blood sprayed from his nose and across the floor. She chuckled when he whimpered in agony.

"Stop, please..." he begged.

"'Stop, please'." Elsa mocked, her voice high in an eerie falsetto. She kicked him again, but a shot directly in his ribs. "'Please, you're hurting me'."

Klaus moaned in anguish, hearing those familiar words come from her mouth. She grabbed him by one arm and shoved him into a wooden banister. He gave a yelp of pain. She studied the hand in her grip, tilting her head.

"Father, still have those same hands you valued so much; the hands of a hard working man..." she told him. "Now, if you can keep quiet for a few moments, we can count how many times I said the same words to you."

Klaus shook his head, whimpering when she took his hand and grasped one finger. She began to force it back slowly and he let out a wail of pain. She did this with all the fingers of his hand while counting, all the while he cried and shrieked.

"Shut up." Elsa ordered, slapping his forehead each time his wailing annoyed her. "Shut up." Another slap when he whimpered. "Shut up."

Klaus moaned and struggled in her grip.

"It was strange." Elsa said, "I hesitated because I thought I would feel some manner of guilt for this. But the worst part is, I don't." A sad chuckle. "Isn't that just sad? Isn't it unfortunate that it came to this? You had one job, father. All you had to do was be good for me. That's it. I didn't expect anything special. Just for you to be my father."

Klaus looked away and Elsa snarled, grabbing his jaw and forcing him into the banister.

"No! You don't get to look away from me!" she spat, vehemently. "You won't have that pleasure."

Klaus looked up at her, pleading. "Elsa..."

"You made a fool of me in front of everybody. You made me hate myself," Elsa whispered, menacingly. "Every day, I despised what I was because you made it so..."

Klaus moaned in anguish.

"Oh! I just had a wonderful thought, father! Let's play a game!" Elsa suddenly said, clasping her hands together with a delighted grin. "Let's play 'Pretty Little Dancer'! Remember that game?"

Klaus flinched with pain. The guilt on his face was remarkable. Elsa had no idea he could look as guilty as he did right now.

"Yes, you remember it, don't you? I remember it well." Elsa's features darkened now and she could hear soft laughter behind her. "My friends are going to be in for a real treat! They get to see what you made me do every morning and evening when mother wasn't around."

Klaus was released and forced to his feet.

"I...I'm a pretty little dancer..." he sang, miserably.

"Now, now, daddy. You're not playing the game right, you know," Elsa mocked, raising her eyebrows. "Remember what happens when you don't play the game right?"

Klaus shook and tears almost filled his eyes. He began to undress.

Elsa smiled brightly. "That's better! We don't need to get out Mr. Gurtel do we?"

Klaus was sniffling, close to completely crying now as he removed his khakis and shoes, along with his tank top. He stood only in a pair of boxers.

"Now dance pretty for us, daddy!" Elsa mocked.

Zorin cackled when Klaus began to attempt a dance. "Elsa, you're much more cruel than I imagined!" she laughed. "This is hysterical!"

Rip elbowed Elsa, who didn't share her amusement. "You're so mean, dearie! I love it!"

Elsa looked focused more on seeing him suffer the same way she did. She wasn't laughing, but she was grinning widely at the sight of Klaus weeping and attempting to keep himself warm.

"Remember the rules, daddy?" she sneered. "If you cover yourself, you get Mr. Gurtel too!"

Klaus was crying softly, humiliated by the cruel laughter and sneers from the three women.

"Oh, do you call that dancing?" Elsa mocked, while her father continued to attempt it, "It's good if you're a four year old child with Parkinson's. You're causing me physical pain just watching you."

Klaus' face went red.

"'I seem a saint when most I play the devil'..." Elsa quoted. "Shakespeare. Remember? Such a fitting quote for you. No one knew the disgusting ugliness that festered within you, but me. That...thing you were was an abomination of the living. Ah, but who would believe a freak, remember? Who would ever think on the words of a little girl who talked to rats, right? Weren't those your words?"

_Those eyes. Dead. Like a rat. _

Klaus looked at her desperately. "Elsa, please stop this." he begged. "I-I know what I did."

"Hm, no, I don't think you've learned your lesson yet." Elsa had pretended to think, laughing a little. She walked over to a stable and retrieved some horseshoes. "Now, when I worked in the circus, we had a few rules. You'll learn about them soon."

Zorin smirked at Elsa, thoroughly pleased by her brutality.

"One rule was that no one took what belonged to another," Elsa said, working on tying the horseshoes to her father's legs. "Know what happened if you did? You lost a finger. But we'll get to that later. Now? When you didn't perform a dance correctly, you had to wear heavy weights around your legs until you got it right."

Klaus struggled to move his feet.

"Now, you can imagine how many times I had to wear weights," Elsa continued, stepping back to enjoy her work, "Sometimes they were more on the inside than anything else. All thanks to you, father."

"Elsa, listen to me..." Klaus begged.

Elsa glowered at him, showing her fangs. "Didn't I just tell you to shut up?"

Klaus whimpered in response.

"I don't want to hear it." Elsa continued, venomously. "You've had your chance to speak when you needed to all those years ago. When I was on that stage. Now start dancing."

"Please..."

"DANCE!" Elsa shouted, showing her fangs again in a horrible grimace of rage.

Klaus sniffled and started dancing with the added weight.

Elsa removed her knife from its sheath and began pacing around Klaus, scraping the blade against wooden surfaces. He flinched at the noise and his eyes widened at the sight.

"Father...do you remember Orange? My first pet rat?" Elsa queried. "Ah, yes, you do!" She grinned and teasingly pointed the blade in his face when he grimaced at the name. "Yes. Remember how he loved orange slices? I would sneak them away for him all the time. I could talk to him when I felt pain. Oh yes, I considered him to be the only friend I ever had at that age. You always did like to remind me how I never had any. Socially awkward was one of my 'vices', as you always called it."

Oh, I know that Orange wasn't very bright, but he was my pride and joy. My family. Oh. But you... You developed some sick, morbid obsession with learning about what I could do, too. So you caught Orange scurrying around in the kitchen, looking for food as he always does. And you wanted me to do what?"

Klaus lowered his eyes, softly sobbing.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Elsa shouted, stabbing the knife into a wooden banister near his head.

"Cut him open..." Klaus whispered, through tears.

Zorin and Rip reacted with amusement.

"Ooh, what a strong father you are!" Rip sneered. "Telling a little girl to cut open her dear pet! If you weren't Elsa's little treat, I would LOVE to give that a try!"

"Yes, I was six years old when I lost Orange. You wanted me to cut him up while he was still alive to see if I would feel his pain." Elsa smiled now, her eyes brimming. "And I did. I can still hear him screaming. How do you think he felt when you made me stick him? When you made me slice his little body open?"

She turned suddenly, retrieving her knife. She twirled it in her hands and tilted her head.

"I do wonder though... If I cut you open, would I feel anything at all?" she queried, emotionless to his frightened whimper. A grin lit her lips. "Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

O

Elsa washed the blood from her body upon returning to the zeppelin.

Her rats circled her in the shower room, just...watching.

_"Orange is at peace..."_

_"The man has paid the piper..."_

_"His blood is penance..."_

Elsa closed her eyes, smiling. Somehow she felt a sense of peace in ways she never felt before in her entire life. She was so sure she would feel guilt for what she did. Well, perhaps a human lingering in her mind whispered it, but she ignored it. Klaus Bauer died a long time ago, the moment he had touched her.

Whatever that THING was she saw today...it was just a ghost waiting to expire.

Once she finished cleaning herself, she searched for Caspar and found him in the hangar, talking with another soldiers about recent events.

"Grandfather..." she said.

Caspar turned to her. "Yes?"

"It was father." Elsa told him, gently. "He killed grandmother. It wasn't a fever."

Caspar stared at her, the smile disappearing from his face. He looked stunned before narrowing his eyes, squinting at Elsa and turning to go, as if intent on finding Klaus himself. Elsa stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"No! He's already dead." she said. A moment of hesitation. "I had to."

Caspar let out a small sigh. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

He put his arms around her and she returned the embrace. "I'm sorry about grandma. I...I don't know why he did it." she mumbled into his shoulder.

"My wife was ill, Elsa." Caspar told her, gently parting. "She saw and heard things no one else did. They consumed her and drove her mad. If I had known what Klaus was planning, I would have ripped him in half. Maybe you too could have been spared from his cruelty. I did not teach that boy those things, but he was always weak."

Elsa cringed, then her eyes widened. "It really is a cycle..." she whispered, as if haunted. Then, her features hardened and she gave a small snort, turning. "I'm going to bed."

Meanwhile, Zorin hadn't been spoken to when Elsa returned. She looked for the woman, but Rip stopped her in the corridors. Zorin sighed impatiently and lit a cigarette.

"I'm looking for Elsa. Get lost." she ordered.

"Maybe it's best we give Elsa some space." Rip advised. "I just spoke with Caspar. She's...not taking what he told her very well."

Zorin glared at her. "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Well, Elsa just killed her own father, Zorin," Rip said, shrugging her shoulders. "Even to me, that is a huge step to take in moving on. Maybe she needs time to herself. To...sort it out."

Zorin was annoyed. She didn't have time to give Elsa anything like that of the sort.

"I had a delightful thought, Rip Van Winkle." Zorin snapped, taking a drag from her cigarette. She blew a ring of smoke in Rip's face. "Go fuck yourself."

Rip scoffed when Zorin walked away. "Oh, now that's just rude."

Zorin searched for Elsa and found her in the mess hall, drinking. Several of her rats were nearby and Elsa was pouring vodka into a small bowl.

"Drink up, children!" she slurred. "We need to be big and strong!"

Zorin scowled. "Are you fucking serious?"

Elsa looked up and grinned, waving. "Oh, Zorin!" she said, waving. "Come!" She beckoned with two hands. "Come! Play with me! I can juggle my rats for you!"

Zorin narrowed her eyes. "I can't fucking believe you're drunk right now." she snapped.

"Guilty!" Elsa said, taking another drink. She looked at a rat and gave it a drunken glare. "Now don't you start on me. I only had seven glasses of vodka... What do you mean 'it was fourteen'?" She looked surprised now. "It was? Oh, well...I forgot to count then."

"Get up." Zorin ordered, taking her arm. "You had better sober up quick."

Elsa sighed and pushed the woman from her. "Zorin, you're so high-strung. And it's usually me. I'm fine. I did what you wanted and killed my father. The sad part is... I'm not that upset about it. Not really." She grinned and her eyes didn't match. "What does that mean?"

"You moved on and realized he deserved it!"

"Did I?" Elsa looked thoughtful for a long time. Then, she squinted at Zorin with confusion. "Wait... what were we talking about again?"

"Ugh, you're useless. Come on."

Zorin took Elsa's arm and dragged her down the corridors, ignoring the curious inquiries from the passing soldiers. Elsa waved at them with a drunken giggle and she was taken to Zorin's room.

"Why...are we here?" Elsa slurred. "It's rude to the...other people." She pointed behind her.

"Go to sleep. If you're still drunk when I come back in here, I'm _putting _you to sleep." Zorin threatened.

Elsa snorted. "Just like you, huh?"

"What?" Zorin snapped.

"You'd always tell me what to do," Elsa slurred, "Oh, but whenever it's something that I want, 'Oh, Elsa, put it on hold. I have to work'. But as soon as I say 'Hello, Zorin dear. Here's my Scheide for your eating pleasure'. You magically appear out of nowhere and - "

Zorin slapped her across the face.

Elsa stood there, holding her cheek with one hand. It had already reddened from the force of the slap. She looked momentarily stunned and even a little hurt by this before a cold look crossed her face.

"Look at that! I've found the 'on' switch!" she hissed, showing her fangs.

Zorin showed her fangs. "Watch your tone, Elsa."

"That bothers you so? Well isn't that just too bad!" Elsa sneered, drunkenly, "We can go back to old times when you beat me up just for breathing!"

Zorin grabbed her by the throat and forced her backwards. Elsa just laughed the entire time and Zorin glared down at her, displaying her fangs in a furious hiss. Elsa wasn't normally such a nasty little thing when she was drunk. But this was quite a change.

She brought her knee between Elsa's legs and the younger vampire let out a soft groan of pleasure. Zorin glanced down briefly between them before narrowing her eyes at the sound.

"You're fucking turned on by this?" she hissed, in disbelief.

Elsa smiled and stretched her arms out above her. "I would be turned on when you simply walk into a room, Zorin dear..." she purred.

Zorin leaned forward, brushing her mouth against Elsa's. The younger vampire met her lips with a desperate kiss and for the moment, Zorin did not protest. The sheer heat and passion behind it almost made her forget what they had been arguing about.

Almost.

Eventually though, she pulled away with a cold glare.

"No. I don't have any desire for you when you're drunk." she spat. "So deal with it yourself."

Elsa moaned when the older vampire separated from her. "You're so mean..."

"Get over it."

Zorin left her alone without hesitation.

It was difficult, though.

O

The best part about getting drunk was not having to wake up to a hangover.

The worst part was realizing that something foolish had been said when Elsa arrived at the main chamber hall where the other Werewolves gathered. Usually when she was drunk, she knew something very stupid had to of been said. Strangely enough, Zorin didn't ignore her this time.

"Sleep well?" she asked.

Elsa smiled and stretched. "Yes. I did. Thank you." She looked at the monitors, watching Rip make way for the English sea vessel _The Eagle_. "So...what's happening, then?"

"Rip Van Winkle is on her way," Zorin told her, evenly.

Elsa shifted a little and looked at her. "Uhm, about last night..."

"Don't worry about it."

Elsa was surprised now. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's fine."

Elsa was a little confused. Usually, Zorin was much angrier about her drunken escapades. She had often told her to never again be drunk when she was around. For some reason, Zorin didn't like it. Which was strange to her because they had both been drunk in the past before.

"Can I ask you something?" Elsa questioned.

"Yeah." Zorin was staring at the screens, distracted.

"Why does it bother you?"

Zorin frowned down at her. "Why does what bother me?"

"My drinking."

Zorin sighed and gave her a funny look. "You want to do this NOW?" she snapped, in a hushed tone, "Rip is on the move. It's time to work."

Elsa nodded. "Yes. You're right. Sorry."

The Captain glanced over at them. Zorin casually put her arm around Elsa's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Elsa seemed satisfied by this and just smiled.

The Captain continued to stare for a moment before he returned his gaze to the monitors.

Most of what Rip had done involved having the British traitors slaughtered after they had helped her retrieve the ship. Though this was to be expected. They were weak.

She had painted a swastika on the deck of the ship to properly christen it as the _Adler_.

But it was Alucard's arrival that heralded Rip's demise.

Elsa couldn't watch it anymore.

Alucard had tortured her friend for what felt like an eternity. Though she did salute Rip's "honorable death" as informed by the Major, she couldn't bear to see her suffer anymore. So she had to tear her eyes away. Fortunately, Zorin didn't catch the gesture, but the Major did. He simply smirked.

O

"Present and accounted for."

Elsa was barely listening when the Major gave Zorin her orders.

She was concerned with what had happened to Rip. If this is what Hellsing had to offer, shouldn't they have been the slightest bit worried? If anything like that happened to Zorin... Elsa didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't want to think about it.

"...the Hellsing forces are as weak as children." Zorin was finishing.

The Major chuckled and shook his head at that assessment.

A few in the room reacted with surprised sounds.

"Do not take the Hellsing women lightly," the Major told her. "Integra Hellsing and Seras Victoria are not to be trifled with. Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Scion of the famed Doctor Van Hellsing. AND head of the greatest family of vampire hunters in history. And she is the only authority that the vampire Alucard recognizes."

Then, there is the police woman; the vampire Seras Victoria. She is - perhaps - a miracle. Perhaps you might think something of a joke." A chuckle. "I suspect she may not fully understand her nature yet. It makes for an exciting thing, don't you think? They are both inexperienced, imperfect and untested. I would, in fact, argue that like Alucard, they are arch-enemies worthy of caution and scrutiny. And that is why you will hold without engaging. Do you understand your orders, Zorin?"

A moment of hesitation. "They are crystal clear, Battalion Commander." Zorin answered.

"Perfect." the Major said, grinning. "Everything is set! It is time to open the floodgates of WAR!"

Elsa looked at Zorin. "I suppose this is it then."

"Yeah." Zorin said, smirking. "Let's see what you can do out there by my side!"

The Major heard that and shook his head. "Oh, Elsa won't be going with you, Zorin."

The two looked at him. "What?" they said together.

"Elsa will be needed in London. Rats infest every corner of the city. Elsa's power will certainly be of use in the armies deployed there."

Elsa glanced at Zorin, worried.

"I understand, sir." Zorin replied, evenly.

O

"You don't have much faith in me."

Zorin watched Elsa as they prepared for their attack on Hellsing Headquarters. Her soldiers entered her zeppelin. Elsa had been restless about this mission for a long time. She knew about Hellsing's exploits and feared that Seras would be more than met the eye. She didn't necessarily have no faith in Zorin. But she feared the worse.

"Elsa, you're walking on the ceiling again." Zorin quipped.

Elsa had been so worried, she didn't realize that she had walked the wall and ended up on the ceiling. A few of Zorin's soldiers laughed at the sight.

"I'm panicking," she stammered. "Shouldn't you be panicking?"

"Jackboots off my ceiling, please." Zorin ordered.

Elsa groaned and scaled down the ceiling and wall.

"We will do well, Warrant Officer Elsa." one of the soldiers assured her. "Hellsing will fall!"

"First Lieutenant Zorin Blitz has faced worse enemies!" another added, "And lived! Always!"

Elsa seemed a little hopeful. "Really?"

Zorin gestured for her soldiers to leave and be ready so that she could be alone with the other woman.

Elsa waited until they were in the clear before she gave Zorin a kiss. It was stronger than what Zorin expected from her and she let out a surprised sound. When Elsa parted, she smiled.

"For luck." she said.

Zorin smirked and rolled her eyes. "Goddamn sappy, you are." She noticed Elsa's hesitance. "What?"

"I'm worried, Zorin. Remember what the Major said?"

Zorin laughed sardonically. "Wow. You REALLY don't believe I can do this, do you?"

"Goddamn it, don't be so obtuse! Of course that isn't what I think! I'm worried about what they're capable of. And no, don't call me a Defeatist. I just fear for your safety. Such is my right."

Zorin looked impatient for a moment before smiling.

"Elsa, really. It's unbecoming." she said. "Who's had the most experience in war?"

"You?"

"That's right. AND who has led the most blitzkrieg's here?"

"...You."

"Who has also has the highest rank?"

"...You..."

"There you have it!" Zorin said, smiling. "Nothing to worry about. Battle. War. Bloodshed. Illusion. Nothing in that mansion can best me in these things. I am the God of blood and death."

Elsa managed an amused sputter.

"Do your duty, Liebchen." Zorin reminded her. She turned to go, but not before brushing a finger against Elsa's cheek. "Wait for me, then. I'll be coming back."

Elsa watched her go, still very unsure about this.


	14. XIV

**~O~**

**XIV**

London was in flames.

But Elsa's mind was elsewhere.

She didn't focus on the butler who was taken onto the zeppelin. So far, she had heard nothing from Zorin and feared the ultimate worst.

Hours had ticked by and Zorin had not returned.

Schrodinger made his way into the Deus Ex Machina where Elsa was anxiously waiting for the news of Zorin's mission. The Doctor was with her.

"Elsa, I have some news." Schrodinger told her. "I - "

"Is Zorin back?" Elsa asked, before he could finish.

Schrodinger sucked his teeth with a pained grimace. "Not exactly."

Throughout the Deus Ex Machina, Elsa's fierce scream echoed. It was tortured and brutal and even carried beyond the zeppelin to the streets of London below. Caspar lifted his head from a corpse when he heard the sound. It took the Doctor to hold her back. Even with the vampire strength she possessed, she hardly fought him.

"Please...let me see her! I have to see her!"

"Elsa, stop!" he ordered. "It's over, she's dead!"

Elsa was in tears, crying for the first time in years, squirming with little effort and savage with despair. "NO! NO!" she screamed. "No! Oh God, no!"

She collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

Schrodinger glanced down at her with dismay. "Boy, she certainly fell apart."

"She'll have to get over it." The Doctor said, quietly. "This is war. We will all die eventually."

Elsa laid there in a puddle of her own tears, still sobbing. She clenched her teeth and began beating her head into the floor, over and over again until blood began spurting from her head.

"I HATE YOU!" she shrieked, "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!"

The Doctor and Schrodinger watched her throw a complete and utter tantrum the likes of which they had never seen her do. She grabbed things and threw them everywhere, obliterated whatever she could get her hands on. She screamed like a wounded animal all the while blood gushed down her face.

"My God, she's like a baby." the Doctor whispered, sidelong to the creature standing beside him. "I had no idea she could get like this."

Elsa continued screaming and punching walls. She took out several corners of them before finally collapsing. She pressed her face against a wall while tears streamed down her cheeks. It looked horrible and pitiful to the two watchers, who said nothing to put an end to it.

They simply left her alone.

"Please, please, please..." Elsa was blubbering at this point, disoriented by her despair.

The rats eventually circled her, watching the woman in hysterics. Their whispers in her mind were overall quiet, but blended together. It became too much. Elsa snarled at them, swinging her hand.

"Are you still here? GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, "I don't want you here! ... Are you deaf?! I SAID GO!"

The rats slowly began to depart at her order, but Elsa's voice changed after a few moments. She no longer sounded angry, but despairing once more, reaching for them. The pleas that fell from her lips were pitiful.

"Wait... Please don't go... Stay with me..." she begged. "Don't leave me alone. I didn't mean what I said." She started sobbing softly again. "Please stay... Tell me I'll be okay. Tell me I'm not going to die. Help me..."

Eventually, the rats made their way to her, covering her in their warm bodies. Their musty smell offered only the smallest comfort.

O

"Elsa hasn't moved in hours."

"Oh. Who would have thought the death of an insect could do such a thing to her."

"She did care about her, sir..."

The Major shook his head with dismay. "Well, Elsa is of no use to us if she will not fight." he said, to the soldier who had addressed him about the matter. "See that she receives a quick death fitting of her kind."

Caspar reacted to that news and stepped forward. "Sir, I will be the one to do it." he told him. "As her last remaining blood, it would be an honor."

The Major's eyes narrowed and he waved him away. "Very well, Sergeant."

Caspar departed, and a soldier followed.

Elsa was sitting up in her bed with her back to the door, staring at the wall with lifeless eyes. She was swaying back and forth a little, cradling Zorin's old SS hat in her arms and petting it like it was a living being. Her rats occasionally skittered about, whispering in her head.

_She's gone..._

_Dead._

_They took her._

"Elsa..."

She barely reacted when she was addressed by her grandfather. Caspar watched his granddaughter with pain. Elsa's ears caught sound of a weapon being drawn and the pull of the hammer of the gun. All she could do was sigh.

"If there is a hell...I welcome it..." Elsa whispered, her voice haggard. "I will die..."

Caspar nodded. "Yes. But not today."

He whirled and shot the soldier who had been standing there to watch. Elsa didn't react when Caspar picked her up in her arms and rushed down the corridors. Elsa felt the roaring air as Caspar opened a hatch and they jumped out of the zeppelin. He carried her through the rubble of London and set her onto the ground. Several rats scurried beneath her and he smiled sadly.

"Be safe, Elsa." he told her. "Live to fight another day. I will see you again..."

He rushed away, while the rats took Elsa deep into the sewers below.

_Run, run, hide away..._

_Live to fight another day..._

Caspar made his way down the corridors of the zeppelin. He could hear the gunfire, smell the smoke around him; and he was able to spot Integra Hellsing not too far away. It was time to end it. Time to be at peace. This had gone on for far too long.

He charged for her with a fierce roar and spotted the flash of a blade being drawn.

Silver.

Caspar groaned, a thick, wet sound in the back of his throat; falling to the floor with his leg missing. The blonde-haired vampire - Seras Victoria - approached him and he grinned, relieved to finally find his death.

_Finally...I can die... _he thought.

"What took you so long?" he groaned, grinning up at her. "Strike me down, Fraulein. You'll do me a kindness..."

He saw determination and fierce resolve in her gaze, just as that hellish tendril cut through the air toward him.

And finally, blackness.

O

_Day 3_

A noose was set up.

Elsa was alone in the room in the sewers, finishing the final touches.

_"A noose, really?"_

Elsa looked over and found Zorin sitting on the moldy couch that she had pilfered from the dump. She was smoking a cigarette. But she wasn't there. No. She was gone. Like everyone else.

If there was one thing she noticed right away, it was the lack of nicotine smell. She hated the smell of it when Zorin was alive, but it was always a lovely reminder of her, so it was easy to push passed it. Now? Now she'd give anything to have that smell again.

But it wasn't real. It was never going to be real again.

"You're not there..." Elsa groaned, covering her eyes with two hands. "No. You're not..." A mad giggle escaped her lips and she beat her fists against the sides of her head.

Zorin scoffed. _"That bitch gets you to cry when I couldn't and you turn to this? I thought you learned your lesson the first time. I'm rolling in my fucking grave right now."_

Elsa wrapped the noose around her neck.

"I'm ending it this time..." she promised. "Don't stop me."

Zorin scoffed and took a drag. _"Stop you? Fuck. I'm here to watch." _she said.

Elsa tightened the noose.

_"That won't kill you, you know. You'll choke and end up breaking the rope."_

Elsa stepped onto the rickety chair and took a deep inhale before kicking it out from beneath her. Zorin sat calmly, listening to the choking, gagging noises from the woman as she hung there, kicking her legs out. Zorin picked up a magazine and hummed contentedly, paging through it.

_"Elsa, there's an article in here about 'Getting In Touch With Your Inner Child'." _she said, not even noticing Elsa's swollen face. _"Hey, this might be about you. Oh! A recipe for fruit strudel. Ah, if I was still human, that would really be delightful."_

The rope snapped and Elsa fell to the floor. Zorin glanced down at her briefly before crossing her legs and leaning back, still paging through the magazine.

_"Told you." _

O

_Day 14_

Elsa had pilfered several jackets and rags to keep warm.

She was panting heavily, scratching at her face before she began shooting up some liquid silver into her veins. Zorin watched her with a sigh of dismay.

_"What are you doing, Liebchen?" _she said, _"You've already dosed today. It's poison, but it won't kill you. It just slows the healing down. You can't keep shooting it."_

Elsa let out a shriek of agony, falling from her chair and onto the floor.

Zorin laid down beside her and though she brushed the greasy locks from Elsa's eyes, she wasn't really touching her. Elsa was shaking like a drug addict. Zorin just smiled thoughtfully.

_"Do you remember that game we used to play when you first became a vampire?" _she asked. _"You and I would both dig our knives into each other to see how much pain we could feel? That game was really stupid, huh?"_

She looked up and laughed at the sight of her old hat sitting at the table.

_"Oh, you have my old hat. What did you have to go through to get that before you ran away?"_

Elsa moaned in anguish, covering her face with two hands.

"Please..."

O

_Day 405_

_"We really need to talk." _Zorin watched Elsa feed off of an unfortunate sewer worker. _"These last few days, I've been feeling very left out, watching you hang out with all your new friends."_

Elsa's left eye was almost nearly blotted out by pitch black. Her fangs were crooked and razor sharp. Her fingers ended in terrifying, long nails resembling claws.

_"You know... I always thought the animal look suited you." _Zorin laughed. _"It works. Now you're looking more like a rat every day."_

Elsa hissed, sinking her mouth into the man's rib cage.

That evening, she ventured to the surface world, listening to the pulsing heartbeats around her. She wandered through a field, wearing a coat her jackboots and what remained of her uniform.

She spotted a child kicking a few rocks into a stream.

Zorin laughed. _"Mm, veal."_

"Shut up..." Elsa hissed.

She wandered over to the child, who looked up. She didn't seem terrified of Elsa. Well, perhaps she did not sense the deadly threat just yet.

"Hi." the girl said.

Elsa sat down beside her.

"What are you doing?" the vampire asked.

"Throwing rocks," the girl told her. "At the fish."

"Why?"

"They're stupid."

"No, they're not stupid." Elsa told her, chuckling. She held out her hand for one rock. "They're your friends. They feed you. Keep you going. Remember that."

The girl sighed, but tilted her head up at her. "Are you sick?" she asked.

Elsa's smile disappeared. "Why do you ask?"

"You sound sick."

"I am a little."

"Do you go to the doctor?"

"No."

"What about medicine?"

"That won't help me."

The girl frowned thoughtfully before smiling. "Do you like to sing?" she asked.

Elsa smiled a bit. "Sing?"

"Yeah! It's really fun. It makes me feel better! Would you like to sing a song?"

"Yes. I would like that very much."

"Do you know the song 'Can you Feel the Love Tonight'?"

Elsa brightened a little. "Yes, I do."

"Wanna sing it?"

Elsa nodded.

The two began to sing the song together until the girl's mother called for her. When she saw her with Elsa, she frantically rushed toward them. Elsa sprinted away at inhuman speed while the mother scoped up her daughter. Elsa could barely make out the conversation.

"Mum, she wasn't hurting me."

"Mindy, I told you not to come out here! And no talking to strangers! She might have been a crazy person!"

"She's just sad..."

_It's been so long since I've seen innocence, I forgot what it looked like. _

_But even then, she will die. And that little spark she had will be extinguished. _

O

_Day 1055_

Elsa was playing poker with her rats.

"Got any eights?" she asked.

The rat squeaked and she slapped her cards down angrily. "ARE YOU CHEATING, YOU LITTLE SCHEISSE?!"

A man in a rat suit stood there - a figment of Elsa's slowly deteriorating sanity. He began to juggle colorful balls and chanted "Ich bin verrückt". Another figment appeared as Elsa as a little girl, who looked around the room for signs of her mother. A man in a police uniform appeared, cursing the "freak show" he had to see all the time.

Elsa clapped happily. "Visitors! Yay!"

_"I'm the rat king." _the suited man announced.

"Would you like some tea, my Lordship?" Elsa asked, giggling. "Actually, I'm a bit short on tea. But sewer water is quite in the abundance!" She poured a cup, but missed it entirely and poured the water on the floor.

Zorin appeared and rolled her eyes.

_"Elsa..." _she snapped.

"My name?" Elsa grinned, looking around, "My name is - " She began to sing and dance. "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, That's my name too. Whenever we go out, the people always shout, 'There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt'! Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da!"

O

_Day 1057_

"I need to cut off my thumb!"

Elsa had her knife poised at her thumb and she was giggling. She turned to the illusions that passed her mind - the products of her insanity.

"Watch me! It'll stop the war inside! It will!"

She sawed her thumb off and it sent a spray of blood across the floor. Elsa screeched and cackled, thrusting the bleeding hand up.

"Look at that!" she spat. "Watch me bleed!"

An illusion of her mother showed up, smiling sadly.

_"Elsa, I always thought you had such perfect hands." _

"Liar. Don't pretend to be proud of me."

_"I wanted to be proud. But I was scared. I didn't know how to handle it. But I am, Elsa. I love you. I always will."_

Elsa's smile disappeared. She looked confused for a moment before lowering her mad gaze to her missing digit. Her lower lip quivered and she began to cry for a few moments, tears streaming down her face. Then, she leered at the image of her mother before screaming and throwing her knife at it. Of course, it embedded itself into the wall, leaving her alone to cry.

O

_Day 2056_

Elsa danced happily around a female corpse she had bound with string. She crafted it like a giant puppet and made it dance for her amusement.

"Hello, Garbage Disposal Lady Whose Name I Don't Know!" she greeted, "How are you this night?"

She moved the head of the corpse and spoke in a funny voice imitating an Englishwoman. "I'm bloody great! Can't be better!"

"Good! We're going to perform a show for everyone! My rats and these kind people who joined us!"

Elsa gestured to the rats who watched, as well as several corpses that had been frozen in the final moments of their death. Most of them had their throats slashed and one was missing an eye. Elsa looked at the woman on puppet strings and held up a finger.

"Hold on. Mr. Construction Worker fell asleep again." she said, when one of the corpses fell from the chair. She picked him up and turned to another corpse. "Now, now, Farmer With a Potty Mouth Who Can't Shoot. There's no need to be rude. I said I was sorry for biting off your leg and ripping out your lungs. What more do you want?"

She giggled and returned to her puppetry. "Okay, let's pretend you're Seras Victoria!" she announced, gleefully. "You're on trial and these good people - and rats - are jury. See, Seras killed my beloved Zorin. So what do you say? AH! Yes, guilty!"

Elsa grinned at the corpse. "Now, the sentence is a gruesome death!"

She began to mutilate the puppet with her clawed hands, laughing madly the entire time. Once there was nothing more than blood and tattered flesh, Elsa turned to the corpses with dismay.

"Now don't act so surprised!" she chided. "This is how justice works up there anyway! It ignores the innocent pleas for mercy and peels away at the damned, leaving nothing but remains!"

She skipped around the bloody mess, happily chanting, "JUSTICE" over and over again. Her laughter rang out through the sewers of London, barely heard by those who walked its surface.

O

_Roughly thirty years later_

The sound of music echoed through the sewers.

"Today is the day, my children... Today we live long enough to slaughter Seras Victoria..."

Along the walls of a small chamber lined newspaper clippings and maps. Some spots on the map were blotted out with red ink and several articles were of Hellsing's exploits and Seras Victoria.

"We hid away like cowards. But to live. To live to see her dead..."

There were also remnants of human corpses that rats occasionally fed on.

The laugh from Elsa filled the sewers, echoing for miles.

_Rats._

_Rattus._

_From the order Rodentia._

_From the superfamily Muroidea._

_It is believed that humanity evolved from them, through scientific theory and fossilized proof. Most of modern man denies this evidence, even to this day._

_But to me, they are the primordial masters of this world._

_And I will make Hellsing kneel before them._

On the surface, Seras Victoria and Integra Hellsing were walking to her car. They were right in the very heart of London itself, ending a meeting with the Queen.

A set of crazed, vampire eyes watched them from afar.

Slowly, a pair of filthy, long-nailed feet stepped out of the bushes, approaching the car. Seras looked up and noticed a raggedy shape walking up to them. A shape wearing a heavy, hooded jacket covered in rags. She immediately tensed and Integra glanced up.

"Halt!" two Hellsing guards commanded.

A long, almost clawed hand reached out from the sleeve and suddenly, swarms of rats appeared around the vehicle, surrounding the entire group. They looked at them - ragged, near feral animals with red eyes and sharp, dripping teeth. The chorus of hisses that emerged from them was chaotic.

The Hellsing guards watched the sight with shock.

"Look at all the rats!" one exclaimed.

"Yes..." Elsa said, softly. "Look at the rats."

The rats parted as she took another step forward.

"Every rat..." she whispered. "From the domestic slave of the science world to the common household pet. They are under my command. They always obey me."

Seras looked to the figure. "Who are you?" she demanded.

A sharp, German command silenced the animals. They retreated to the shadows and a set of hands pulled the hood down, revealing the grisly, almost deformed features of Elsa Bauer. She was wearing Zorin's old hat and a black clown collar with little colorful balls dangling on the ends of the filthy points.

Seras frowned and Integra's eyes narrowed. She recognized the face almost immediately.

_Fallen from grace, have we? _Integra thought.

Elsa's eyes were almost similar to the eyes of a rodent and her mouth looked chapped, bloodied. Her hair was thick and course from years of seclusion and homelessness. She looked as feral as her rats themselves.

"Do you know me, Integra Hellsing?" she hissed.

Integra nodded. "I do. One of Millennium's last remaining pet projects. Elsa Bauer." she said, "You must have been the one responsible for the animal attacks in London."

Several guns were pointed at Elsa and her mad gaze focused on them. "I wouldn't do that." she whispered. "Not unless you want my rats to make a meal out of you, meat. You have plenty of ammunition, but bullets run out eventually. Not my rats. And you can't hope to shoot them all."

"We can try." a guard told her.

Elsa gave him a derisive, mocking laugh. "Yeah. And as soon as you squeeze that trigger, your head hits the ground."

Seras raised her arm to calm the men before she addressed Elsa. "Not before I drop you first, Nazi."

"Drop me. Oh please. Spare me your ridiculous notions," Elsa snorted. "You're going to put me to sleep. And I'm not here for a catnap. I already had that after my mid-moon meal."

"It was you, then." Integra said, evenly. "You are the reason behind the recent deaths in the sewers."

"I am." Elsa laughed a little, shrugging her shoulders once. "I had to have some fun. It wasn't too difficult since most seem to enjoy poking their noses around where they don't belong. You know what I mean. Hellsing's pretty good at that, after all. They tried to hurt me, you know. People want to hurt things they don't understand or fear. Always their first reaction, isn't it? They tried... Not very well, I should say. Some of them even dared one another to enter into my domain as if it were a childish game! Well, at the end of the day...a girl's got to eat, you know."

"Why did you kill them?" Seras demanded.

"I told you why." Elsa replied, with a heavy sigh. "Because they came to me. Do you think I willingly seek out my food? No. It comes to me." A small laugh of delight. "It always does."

She licked her fangs in an almost lecherous manner.

"AND. If it makes you feel any better, you dirty little limeys taste a lot better than I thought." she added, with a wicked chuckle.

Seras held her cannon close. "What do you want?"

"I want you, little girl." Elsa pointed at her. "You killed Zorin Blitz, remember? I've been working for thirty years for this day. Oh! Don't look so surprised. I know of what happened. You killed her. I know it." She let out a small sigh and for a second, an almost human sadness touched her gaze. "I've always been reminded of it."

Seras frowned at her. "Who was she to you?"

"She was my lover. Oh! Yes, hard to believe to you perfect people?" She nodded in false sadness. "Yes, I understand. At first glance, who would believe such a thing? I mean, look at me." She gestured to herself. "Then, stop and think about her." A bizarre grin full of fang. "Yeah, I know; it's crazy, right?" She noticed Seras' concerned grimace and made a face. "Sorry. When you're sitting in a dirty sewer for thirty years...the mind's the first thing to go."

Seras thought about this. "Wait, you were hiding away in the sewers this entire time?"

"Yep."

"We searched all of London for the surviving Nazi vampires. Every corner. Every house."

Elsa chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, that's the funny part. It has been said that I constantly smell like a rat." she told her. "Their scent shielded me perfectly from your nose. For all you knew, all you smelled was a sewer animal."

Seras' eyes narrowed. Elsa's stare was...disturbingly empty, despite the conversational manner in which she spoke; it bordered on pure madness.

Maybe there was no such border here...

"Yes. All those years of hiding in the sewers..." the woman continued, pacing back and forth, "Living among the beasts. I was a coward, you see. I hid from the final battle and kept myself away for thirty years. Feeding off the putrid disease of the world... I guess you can say that I truly have become myself. Now, I will fight you. And you tell that uppity British cunt that if she does not take that gun from my face, I'm going to bite her fucking head off."

Seras looked at Integra, who had a pistol pointed at Elsa. "Sir Integra, please. Let me handle this." she said.

Integra continued to glower at Elsa, but lowered her gun.

"You think killing anyone will ever redeem yourself or Zorin Blitz for the utter trash she was?" Seras snapped. "She was an EVIL, Nazi bitch!"

Elsa smirked at her. "A vampire speaking for humanity? Oh, please. Like I haven't heard that one before... Don't talk like one of them. You're not! Even if you'd like to be." she purred, "To them, you're just a monster, like me!" She patted her chest with two hands. "They need you right now, to do their dirty work; but when they don't, they'll cast you out. They always do. I've seen this. I know this. They're only as 'good' as their moral code will allow. Yes, I may eat people. I drink blood. But these...civilized people you speak so proudly of...they'll eat each other first before I will. You stay with them long enough, you'll see what a joke it all truly is."

Her voice took on a darker, husky undercurrent. "You know what the problem is with people like you, Seras Victoria? The real terrible joke? You're stuck on the pitiful, childish notion that the world operates on goodness and decency." A snort of contempt. "That no matter what, good triumphs over evil, right?" She blew a raspberry sound with her lips at that. "The unfortunate truth of it is - all goodness ends in an early grave. You can hope for it all to right itself, but it won't. It never does and it never will. I used to be an idealist, like you. But I woke up to the gruesome truth. The only way to survive in this disgusting godforsaken world is to take control. No one will care for you. They'll laugh, cheat and ruin you. Always."

"That isn't true!"

"Really? Then you're a fucking idiot for thinking otherwise."

Elsa chuckled and removed her jacket, casually tossing it to the ground. She was only wearing a flimsy tank top and her arms were covered in terrible scars; ones that looked like something a crack addict would have. As a police woman, Seras had been too familiar with this sight. Her arms were rippling with muscle, but she was much more thin around her abdomen, as if malnourished.

"Come on, Hellsing pup." Elsa sneered. She barked like a dog a few times to mock Seras.

"You're insane." Seras spat.

Elsa laughed a little and shrugged. "Yeah, probably."

"This won't make it better, Elsa."

"No. You're right." Elsa said. She was silent for a moment. "But it's a start."

And with that, she cackled and charged at Seras, her long nails flashing.


	15. XV

**~O~**

**XV**

The two vampires fought in the streets.

Elsa kicked Seras in the face with a wicked kick that knocked Seras backwards into a car. Her punches and movements practically blurred through the air. Seras struggled to block the attacks from the larger vampire.

Their actions scattered several frightened people. Elsa was flung into a crowd and she snarled, kicking a streetlight pole from its housing. She grabbed it and began to swing at Seras with it.

"Batter up!" she cackled.

Seras ducked and rolled out of the way. She jumped onto the pole and raced toward Elsa, giving her a wicked kick in the face that sent the vampire flying back into a building.

Seras tensed, watching as she climbed out of the rubble with a groan.

"Ouch..." Elsa mumbled. She glared at Seras, like a petulant child. "That was cheating!"

The other vampire couldn't believe her ears. Cheating? Was this enemy of hers serious?

Elsa cracked her jaw back into its proper place after promptly being dislocated. She kicked a car at Seras, but the other vampire jumped, dodging it at it screeched across concrete and crashed into a statue, shattering it to pieces. She threw punches, but Seras dodged them.

Elsa snarled, almost spitting her words. "Sit still, dammit!"

She swung her leg to kick Seras, but the younger vampire moved to avoid it and Elsa's attack left a crater in the concrete. She looked up at the sight of a bus driving toward them. The driver's eyes widened and he blared the horn of the vehicle, urging Elsa to move.

Seras looked up as well and her eyes widened.

Elsa grinned and stood there, squaring herself off. "Come on, I want you to do it, I want you to do it!" she chanted madly, "Come on, hit me. Hit me!"

The bus veered off course and leaned, crashing to the ground and slid into a cafe where several people scattered. Elsa watched the sight and grinned happily, clapping.

"Bravo, bus driver. Bravo." she murmured, "I applaud your excellent driving skills."

Seras watched her for a moment, scowling. "You're sick, Elsa." she said, evenly. "I don't know what sort of madness runs through your head, but you're not well. All of this pain - "

Elsa's smile gradually disappeared. She stared at Seras, almost confused by the words. That look slowly darkened, deteriorated into a wild, feral grimace of rage.

"Pain?" she hissed. She screeched her words out, sending spittle flying from her mouth. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PAIN IS!"

Seras narrowed her eyes. "I DO!" she shouted back. "You think you're the only one who's suffered?! I know what pain is, but I pushed passed it! But not you. I can see that you don't have the stomach for it!"

Elsa clenched her teeth, clawing at her own head before she started giggling. She turned to a woman who was climbing from the bus and when the human saw Elsa approach, she panicked anew and struggled to get away. Elsa grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to her feet and the woman screamed in fright, thrashing to be free.

"Let her go!" Seras shouted, "Your fight's with me!"

Elsa sighed impatiently, holding up a finger to her. "Just...give me a second, alright? I'll get back to you then." She turned to the terrified woman and smiled brightly, showing her fangs in a wide, eerie grin. "You. You seem like a nice sort of lady. You don't think I'm sick, do you? Do I look sick to you? Huh? Am I sick as she says?"

The frightened woman didn't answer. She just stared at Elsa, whimpering.

Elsa stared at her brightly for a few moments before slowly, the smile disappeared. She frowned down at her before clenching her teeth, as if frustrated. Finally, she groaned, looking away from the woman. "Stop... Stop looking at me like that. Stop looking at me like you're scared of me." she ordered.

"Let her go, Elsa!" Seras shouted. "I said, let her go, you goddamn freak!"

Elsa snarled and tossed the woman aside. "I am so fed up with everyone calling me that!" she spat. "What makes you better than me, huh? Nothing! Not a damn thing! You killed Zorin! You don't get to treat yourself better than me!"

Seras squared herself, ready for anything else the older woman would throw at her. Elsa's eyes darted about, as if she sought an escape route. Then, she grinned widely, almost playful.

She turned and rushed off into the city, cackling. "COME AND GET ME!"

Seras let out a furious curse and chased after her.

O

"You know, I used to love going for walks in the big city."

Seras looked around for Elsa, who had fled into an abandoned warehouse that was filled with mirrors and crates of debris. Seras tensed and looked around warily for her enemy. Elsa occasionally appeared in reflections, walking on her hands with a cheerful whistle.

"Gonna get you!" Elsa sang, in an eerie, soft giggle.

Seras whirled, startling herself in a mirror - only to see her own reflection and not Elsa staring back at her. She began to hear Elsa humming a tune that sounded suspiciously like "In the Hall of the Mountain King".

"Come now, Seras. Don't you want to play with me? You'll play with Zorin..."

Seras clenched her teeth, eyes darting around the warehouse.

"I'm not here to play!" she snapped.

"We're ALL here to play, Seras." Elsa answered. "You know that. Life is like a board game, actually; you can do a little better every time, but you're still going to lose in the end..." A pause and her voice became light with amusement. "I hope you have a lot of time on your hands. I...feel the need to talk. Confess? Oh...I don't know..."

A pause.

"Are you still there? Oh, of course you are? You know, I never understood Hellsing's so-called 'virtues'. Personally, you've all seemed pretty petty to me. Fighting evil, but really, you're the evil ones."

Seras scoffed. "Coming from a Nazi, that's funny."

"Nazi. Right..." Elsa chuckled. "I know what Nazi's were then. The 'most evil' you can get. But what about that master of yours, Seras?"

"What about him?" Seras kept her back close to the wall, eyes wandering around the warehouse.

"I watched him torture my friend. You remember. Rip Van Winkle? No?" Elsa sighed, a mocking sound of false sadness. "Right. You were on another mission then. I forget. But hey, she probably had it coming to her, right? Fifty years worth of sins just packing away... Forgive me, but impaling and torture don't necessarily strike me as the virtues of a saint."

Seras was quiet.

"But I digress; I've never kept the ideals of Nazism to heart, really. It's difficult to understand, but it's true. Personally, I find a dying regime attempting to control the world, just to see it burn...nothing more than a comical joke. I never really did grasp the concept while I was among them. But I stayed silent. I always did."

"So why did you stay with them?"

Another amused laugh. Then, sadness was in it now. "I think you know that by now."

"So you're willing to forsake your own morality for a Nazi?" Seras snorted at the thought.

"You know what it means to love someone. Even if that someone may not seem good for you. You know that sometimes...love makes you do stupid things. It makes you forget yourself. Look what it made you do to Zorin."

A wicked laugh followed.

"Do you understand what it is you're fighting for, Seras?" Elsa asked, her voice much calmer now; she was standing on a catwalk, strolling along. "Do you know that once something stops being useful, they throw it away? It'll happen to you. Once that..." She grinned and forced her words out so spitefully. "...woman dies, it's over for Hellsing. Do you think the others will keep you around? A vampire?"

"You're lying." Seras snapped.

A small chuckle and a shrug. "Hellsing is full of 'good people', isn't it? Those who mean well. Yeah. I've seen the efforts of those who 'mean well'. Those who fight to make the world a better place. You really have your priorities worked out, ja? But I've seen the world through the eyes of the weak. I've been in those dark corners, heard those terrible secrets. There's no such thing as a 'better place' without chaos, without death. You kill the bad guys, Seras. To make room for the good guys."

Seras spotted her on the catwalk and lunged through the air. She landed in front of her and Elsa laughed softly, slouching her shoulders a little. She almost seemed entirely too relaxed.

"I could have killed you long ago, Seras." she told her. "While you slept in your coffin?"

Seras' eyes widened. She remembered long ago when she saw rats outside of Hellsing Headquarters.

"No? While you bathed?"

Again, another memory of rats crouched outside of a window looking in at a shower room.

"I could have killed that bitch if I wanted to. But no, I decided that wouldn't be enough. I had to put on a show." Elsa smirked now, advancing. "I have an unfortunate flare for theater, you understand."

"Enough." Seras spat, diving at her.

"Yeah, I think you're right, Seras. This IS enough." Elsa said, driving her fist out.

The two engaged in a brutal fist-fight on the catwalk; Seras kicked her leg out and Elsa sank her fangs into the calf of her right foot. Seras gave a shriek of pain and disgust, kicking out her other leg, which knocked her onto her back. She kicked Elsa in the face over and over, sending a spray of blood from the older vampire's nose.

Finally, Elsa released her and staggered back, blood dripping from her face. She flashed a smile, showing no signs of being in agony.

"You kill me. I kill you." she said. "None of it makes a difference."

"It makes ALL the difference!" Seras snapped, jumping to her feet and raising her fists.

She delivered several punches and kicks, to which Elsa blocked.

"No. It doesn't," Elsa grunted, "Either result means I win."

_What does she mean? _Seras wondered.

She was distracted by that thought when Elsa managed to kick her in the face, sending her stumbling.

"I had something to fight for, once. Long ago, when I was young like you." Elsa sighed. "It was bad. Very bad." She shook her head rapidly, blinking in a peculiar expression of someone struggling to recall something. "It's hard to remember those days sometimes. I remember it one way. Sometimes I remember it another... But maybe that's for the best, ja?"

Seras snarled with effort and lashed out her tendril arm, but Elsa flipped onto the railing, hovered there with a cheeky grin before she disappeared below. Seras jumped after her, diving right between the rows of mirrors.

"We had a Hall of Mirrors in the circus once." Elsa said. "I scared a child who snuck away from her mother. I crept up behind her in the dark. Just for a laugh, you see. The poor thing wet herself and ran into one of the mirrors. Use your imagination, little Draculina. Think about what that little one went through... Poor thing. Poor little meat sack... I didn't mean to have that happen. But that is how things go... Since then, they decided the hall was too extreme for little ones. Imagine that, eh?"

A sigh.

"Mirrors are so strange, wouldn't you say? They never show you what you want them to. No matter how badly we distort them, they're always showing us that ugly thing we don't want to see. I hate mirrors."

Seras turned around a corner, but did not see Elsa.

"Do you know what it's like when you're alone, Seras?" she asked, seemingly from a further location.

The sound was strange in the warehouse. Elsa could have been right beside her for all she knew.

"I do..." Elsa continued, with another sigh. "To be immortal with no one to touch. No one to love. To reach for your very happiness, only to have it yanked away. Again? Is it because I'm just an evil piece of shit like they say? Or is it because I'm weak? Is it because I deserve it?" Her voice became mocking again now, light with cruelty. "What do you think about that? Thrill me with your acumen, Draculina..."

Seras thought about these words. How they carried the weight of agony behind them. But she wasn't going to fall for this. She didn't have room to sympathize with a Nazi vampire.

"Stop with these goddamn games!" Seras shouted.

A giggle. "Game? Oh, I do LOVE games!" Elsa said, from somewhere nearer in the warehouse. "I got one for us. Uhm, I Spy with My Little Eye...something red."

Seras looked up at the sound of Elsa charging through the mirror, cackling with glee. Glass shards cut into her face and arms, but she didn't seem affected by it. Seras had to raise her arm to protect her eyes from the glass and Elsa drove her fist into her arm, knocking them both through the wall and out into the city once more.

"If you guessed you covered in blood, you win!"

Seras fell into an alleyway and looked up in time to see Elsa charging for her. "You think you know pain?!" Elsa spat. "You think you know it?! I WILL SHOW YOU PAIN!"

_Ah. Crazy Nazi bitch_, Pip's voice filled Seras' head. _Not like the other attack dogs under Millennium's whips. This one is genuinely sick in the head. The worst kind are those who don't even know how sick they are. That's how they roped her into their dirty work. Lonely people are the most desperate for attention and love._

Seras frowned. "What do you mean?"

_Look at her. Angry at the first moment you question her sanity or her lover. That is when she starts slipping. That is how you defeat her._

Elsa looked beyond Seras and flashed a grin before charging.

She delivered a wicked kick to her midsection and it made contact. Had Seras not been a vampire, it could have very well split her in half.

This one learned from the Major's attack dog.

"You broke my heart, Draculina..." Elsa whispered, leaning down to the younger vampire. She grinned, licking her lips. "Perhaps it's time I broke something of yours."

While Seras recovered, she noticed that Elsa had disappeared. She looked around frantically for signs of the vampire. She raced back into the direction where she had left the other Hellsing affiliates before she noticed that Integra was missing as well.

"Sir Integra!" she shouted.

There was a mocking whistle and Seras looked up toward a building. Elsa waved cheerfully and had Integra within sight - one arm wrapped tightly around her neck and arms so she had no way of fighting back.

"Goddamn you!" Seras spat, making her way toward her.

Elsa backed away, smiling when Seras jumped up onto the roof. She had her cannon at the ready and Integra looked at her furiously.

"Shoot her!" she demanded.

Elsa chuckled at the woman. "Now now, sweetie..." she crooned. "That's not nice. You need to play the game right." She grasped Integra's throat with one long-nailed hand. "Play it right, and you won't die."

"What do you want, Elsa?" Seras demanded. "Whatever it is, you can get it from me. Leave her alone!"

Elsa rolled her eyes, as if bored. "Well, for one. You can put that toy down and kick it toward me. I don't like guns. It's cheating. I told you to play the game RIGHT!"

Seras carefully laid her cannon down. "Can we just talk then, Elsa?" she suggested.

Integra stared at her, like she was insane. "Seras...!"

Elsa craned her neck, grinning down at her before she rubbed her cheek roughly against Integra's. "Aww, looks like she's scared for you, precious little virgin." she crooned. "Ah. Virgin blood. Oh, what that must taste like... Not many virgins around here anymore. Too many people willing to lose it the first chance they get. Or I've eaten them." Another giggle. "Oh, I remember the one from Cambridge-"

"Elsa, last chance!" Seras warned.

_What are you doing, Seras? _Pip said. _Trying to talk your way out of this one won't work. She's crazy. Crazy people can't be reasoned with._

"She has Sir Integra..." Seras said, quietly. "I have to try."

Elsa craned her neck, as if listening to someone else. "Oh! No, sir. I don't want tea right now." she murmured. "Well, I _am_ in the middle of something..." She looked annoyed. "Now daddy, I told you to shut it about that. You know as well as I that you had it coming... Yes. Yes, Mister Tax Lawyer, I will be sure to remind myself to chew before I swallow. When will you let it go? It's not my fault your damn leg was so chewy."

Seras stared at her, completely floored by the insanity of this woman.

"Elsa? Elsa, look at me. Stay focused." Seras addressed her, "Sir Integra had nothing to do with Zorin's death. It was me. I made the choice and the call. And I sure as hell would do it again! Because - "

"She was a monster?" Elsa interrupted. "A freak? A dried up thing?" Her eyes misted a little and that murderous expression rapidly changed to pain. "SO WAS I! But when I was with her, I felt normal. I felt...bliss, the likes of which I never experienced. My world was nothing but a dry, barren desert until she stepped into my life. My heart was in agony and when I found love in her, it healed. But when you took her from me...it all went away. It's gone, Seras, don't you get that?!"

She was almost at tears and Integra frowned back at her.

"What's gone?" Seras pushed, taking a careful step forward.

"My soul. My sanity. All of it. There is nothing left in me but pain. So much pain. My childhood...everything..." Elsa was almost crying, mumbling nonsense now. "Where did it go?" She shook her head rapidly and clenched her teeth, fury returning. She clawed at her face before she pointed a finger at Seras with a screech. "I don't like this game anymore! You're not playing by the rules!"

Seras kicked the cannon to her. "Okay, okay, let's just stay calm." she said, evenly. "Just let Integra go, and we can go back to playing the game however you want."

"However I want..." Elsa seemed to split back and forth. Seras could see it. She looked...tired now. So tired. "What do I want?"

"Yes, what do you want, Elsa?"

"I want the pain to stop..." Elsa mumbled. She hung her head. "Can you stop it, even though I deserve it? Yes...deserve it..." Then, she grinned again, looking at Seras. "Maybe, you think you can make me stop hurting. Can you do it, Draculina? Can you save me?" She snorted coldly at the lack of reaction. "That's what I thought."

Elsa let out a soft, mad giggle before she brushed the cannon aside, casting it to the streets below where it shattered. Several rats swarmed over it, keeping others from retrieving the remains.

"No more toys."

"Now let her go." Seras said.

Elsa smirked at her. "Poor choice of words, Seras."

She leaned down to drop her to the streets, but Seras held up something that froze her.

"DON'T!" she ordered. "Or it's bye-bye to your precious picture."

Elsa's eyes widened when Seras held up the aged photo of Zorin. She let out a frightened gasp and patted her pants pockets a few times, obviously shocked that she had lost one of her most prized possessions. The stupid Draculina must have taken it from her jacket.

"Give that back!" Elsa screeched.

Seras frowned down at the photo briefly before she made a move to tear it to pieces. Elsa's eyes widened with a yell of fright.

"Okay, okay, I'll let her go!" she cried.

She pulled Integra from the edge of the building and even pushed her aside to show Seras she had no further intention of hurting her.

"Now, give me back what's mine!" Elsa ordered, frantic. She reached out with one hand.

Seras waited until Integra was safe and off of the roof before she exhaled.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." she told her. "This is for your own good. You need to get over the fact that she's dead and gone! AND SHE GOT EVERYTHING SHE DESERVED!"

She ripped the photo into several pieces.

Elsa stood there, frozen and wide-eyed. The horror and anguish on her face made it look like she had been shot several times over. The sounds she made next almost sounded like someone choking on their own saliva before she charged for Seras, screaming like a thing possessed.

She tackled into the younger vampire with all the fury of a raging storm, sending them both flying into the street. Elsa wrapped her hands around Seras' throat and began squeezing, screaming down at her while beating her head into the concrete. Her eyes were wide, crazed and she practically drooled like a savage dog.

"GODDAMN IT! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING, YOU HORRIBLE, CHEATING LITTLE WHORE!" she screamed, spitting. She emphasized her next words with each vicious slam of Seras' head into the ground. "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!"

Seras' legs kicked out beneath Elsa. She gagged and grabbed at the arms that held her. Elsa grinned madly, gripping tighter and tighter to Seras' throat. The younger vampire continued thrashing to be free; until she spotted a knife hanging from Elsa's belt and reached for it. She pulled it from its sheath and stabbed Elsa in the hip as hard as she could. The vampire atop of her screamed in pain and staggered back, stepping from Seras.

Seras rolled to the side, coughing several times and gripping her sore throat. Elsa stepped back, seemingly in a daze as she stared down at the knife in her side. It was bleeding profusely.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she spat, slapping herself on the forehead with each word. "NEVER let the enemy take your weapon. Stupid. Well, that was a stupid move on my part, wasn't it?"

Seras rolled onto her side before staggering to her feet, staring at Elsa in disbelief and anger.

Elsa yanked the knife from her side and tossed it at Seras, but the vampire's tendril arm swatted it aside.

"You're a dirty little cheater!" Elsa hissed. She grinned widely now. "I don't like cheaters. Well, that's okay, isn't it? Two can play at that game, you stupid little bitch."

Elsa crouched down onto all fours, uttering several hurried words that were inaudible to the watching people around them. Immediately, several rats swarmed over to Elsa, covering her in their filthy bodies. They all seemed to merge together, forming a towering, monstrous shape.

A long, whip-like tail snapped behind it. A set of eyes opened, almost human and filled with hate. Large, tipped ears flapped slightly.

A giant rat.

Its fur was black and ragged, much like Elsa's hair; its jaws filled with long, razor teeth as opposed to a normal rat's flat ones. It's mouth was dripping with saliva.

It threw back its head and let out a terrible roar.

"Oh God, no!" Seras cried.

She turned and ran, intent on leading the rat away from the public. The giant rat screamed out and gave chase, its massive feet thudding loudly against the concrete.

She glanced back once, eyes wide before leading the giant rat to the park. It took out a few stone walls in the process, snarling and drooling for her. Seras took cover behind a tree.

_"Don't try to hide from me, Seras Victoria..." _the giant rat gurgled, in a thick, deep representation of Elsa's voice - practically masculine, _"You don't get that pleasure. You will have no chance...just like Zorin. Just like the only thing I loved in this world. Who else could kill her but you? Did you believe I would never find out?"_

Seras found cover behind an old building and held her breath, listening to the sick, watery sounds of the giant rat nearby. Hunting her.

It's eyes were flaring red and its roars sounded nearly metallic, almost similar to the cries of the Captain when he changed into a wolf.

_"Come one, come all!" _the rat thundered, raising its haunches with a dry hiss to follow, _"See the great and powerful Elsa Von Bauer! Live and in person! For her final breath-taking performance!"_

The rat passed a bus filled with several frightened people and stopped, staring through the glass at them. They shrieked and stepped away to the other side of the bus. The rat's large, blood-shot eye widened.

_"What are you looking at?" _it snarled.

The people were entirely too terrified to move. The giant rat kicked the bus with one leg, sending it toppling over with the screaming people still trapped inside.

_"Stop FUCKING staring at me!"_

Seras stepped out from her hiding spot. "Elsa, stop!" she shouted.

The giant rat narrowed its eyes with a horrid snarl. _"Never!" _it spat, _"You think you can deceive me, cunt? You and your sniveling band of worms tore Zorin apart! She was all I had!" _The way the rat's mouth moved as it spoke was an unnatural, human gesture. A grin showed on its face. _"Now, you can watch these fools die!" _

"They had nothing to do with what happened!"

_"You brought this upon them, Seras."_

The rat moved closer to her, a warbling chuckle escaping its lips. _"You think saving these little humans no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" _Its claws clinked across the concrete. _"They may not hurt today, but they will kill tomorrow. It is in their base nature. I have become well acquainted with the ugly of this world. And YOU are among the worst. A liar and killer among you to take the reigns. You pretend to be better than me, but in the end, nothing can make up for the horrors of your own sins. The ghosts that haunt your mind. Zorin had a way of chasing the ghosts away, but not you. You pretend they're not even there..."_

_Oh yes, Victoria. I know your stories as well. The rats speak volumes to me. A child screaming in the night for mommy and daddy. Watching men defile your mother's corpse. Gun down your father whose only crime was to do good for the world." _The rat grinned at the uncomfortable look on Seras' face. _"The rats never lie, Seras. Your mission is obvious. To find identity and purpose through the mire of death and suffering. You are like me in every way. The only difference between us is I have nothing left to lose."_

Behind her, police officers pulled up in their vehicles and readied several weapons. The giant rat looked over its shoulder with a snarl. The guns were fired and the giant rat moved faster than expected. Seras watched in horror as the rat cut down the officers with ease.

It grabbed three men in its claws and stood up onto two legs. Seras couldn't believe her eyes as it began to juggle them as if they were toy balls. The men screamed and cried out while the giant rat uttered a closed-mouth chuckle with amusement. It began to sing in German, which sounded terrifying in that deep, throaty voice.

_"Ringelringelreihen,_

_Wir sind der Kinder dreien,_

_sitzen unter'm Hollerbusch_

_Und machen alle Huschhuschhusch!"_

The rat jumped and took hold of the frightened, disoriented men.

_"CATCH!" _it shouted.

The giant rat began to toss the men at Seras. She panicked and made an effort to catch them. Just as she caught each man, the giant rat charged with a roar. Seras raised her arms and caught both ends of the rat's jaws, attempting to hold it back.

She was forced back several inches before twisting, sending the giant animal crashing into the concrete. Seras stepped back a bit, just as the rat struggled to gain its footing.

"Come on, Elsa!" she taunted. "Come and get me!"

With that, she sprinted away, leading the rat from the populated area. Integra and the Hellsing soldiers followed safely behind. The thunderous sound of its footsteps as it galloped after Seras.

_"Let me reunite you with your parents, Seras Victoria!" _the rat snarled, with a dry, rasping chuckle.

_Mon cher...look at her... _Pip's voice filled Seras' head again. _She's in the worst agony imaginable. Ah yes, the loss of a loved one. Lost her mind, that one did. Hard to believe there was someone who loved that crazy Nazi whore. Who knew, eh?And that's where you hit her. Right in that place where it hurts the most._

Seras watched the rat toss a car aside, searching for her as she took cover behind a building.

_She wants to die, Seras, _Pip continued, _She's begging for it. Put the poor fool out of her misery._

Seras let out a sigh. "Yes. It will be done."

_"Where are you, bitch?" _the rat screamed, roaring in frustration.

"Come on, Elsa, you can do better than that!" Seras taunted.

The giant rat snarled, lifting its head and hissing at the sound.

_"I'll kill you! I swear it! I'll wear your skin like a robe!"_

"You'll have to catch me first, you crazy bitch!"

It made its way toward her hiding spot, raised its large claws and peered around the corner, but Seras was gone. The rat grunted, confused and turned, spotting Seras a few feet away.

"You know why I killed Zorin Blitz?" Seras spat, as the rat slowly advanced. "She was weak. She was a weak bitch who deserved it all."

The rat's eyes narrowed and it showed its teeth with a snarl.

"What the _hell _she ever saw in you, I'll never know!" Seras continued to goad the rat to attack blindly. "But it's hard to imagine what went through her mind when I scraped it across the wall like a goddamn eraser!"

The rat's face seemed to contort in a near human expression of the purest rage. It let out a metallic scream.

_"SERAS!" _the rat roared.

The giant rat charged with another terrible roar and snatched at Seras, but the vampire jumped, narrowly missing its claws as it slid across the ground in a clumsy flurry of teeth and fur.

Seras lashed out with her dark tendril and sliced through the rat's leg, cutting it clean off. The rats that made up the limb collapsed in a pool of blood and flesh.

Her shadow arm shifted into a massive fist and she punched the giant rat in the face in a gruesome uppercut that shattered its lower jaw clean off.

Seras' eyes slowly widened in horror.

The rat slid its upper jaw across her shadow arm and actually pushed her in the abdomen. The last thing Seras saw was the mad, red eye of the rat seconds before she was sent tumbling across the ground.

Yet the giant rat kept coming, its tongue dangling uselessly from its shattered mouth.

_She will keep coming. Even after I've cut off all her limbs, she won't stop, _Seras thought, climbing to her feet, _This poor fool is really ill. She needs to be put down._

Seras knew what had to be done then.

"Do you really think she was worth the fight, Elsa?" she pressed, dodging each of the rat's attacks, "That stupid Nazi bitch was nothing! And she died a complete nothing!"

Elsa was wild with fury by this point, clawing and snapping at Seras in a blind, bloodthirsty rage. Her fighting abilities were reduced to animal assaults and Seras sliced through the giant rat body with ease.

_"I hate you! Hate..." _A choke and a snap of its teeth. _"Hate, hate, hate you..."_

Yet even though the giant rat was missing most of its limbs, it still kept trying to attack her. It had only one arm left and dragged itself through grass and blood. It spoke in a frighteningly crazed manner.

_"Kill you...!"_ it snarled, with great effort._ "I'll...kill you. Kill you...kill you..."_

Seras stared up at the animal form of Elsa, sighing.

"Enough, Elsa." she said, coldly. "Die."

She drove her tendril through the rat's chest, freezing the animal where it crouched. Its jaw hung wide open and blood gushed from its mouth, slack with shock. Immediately afterwards, the illusion dissipated, leaving her and Elsa surrounded by rat corpses.

Seras' fist was plunged through Elsa's chest. Rivers of blood poured down her arm.

She stood there, crouched beneath the taller woman. Elsa's eyes were wide in shock and agony, blood gushing from her mouth. Her legs shook, as if it took a great effort to stand. She trembled and slowly stared down at the arm through her chest. The shock on her face slowly disappeared, replaced with a brief smile of peace. Seras missed it, but Integra reacted somewhat.

_That is what she sought..._

Seras withdrew her arm from Elsa's chest, watching the former Nazi woman collapse to the ground in a pool of her own blood.

Integra and several others began to gather around them.

Elsa was still alive.

She choked on her own blood, groaning.

"Elsa...enough fighting it," Seras told her, oddly gentle. "Be at peace."

Elsa raised her arms out, chuckling.

"No peace..." she whispered, thickly. "Only death."

Her eyes were slowly dimming. She seemed to stare at something the watchers could not see. Elsa frowned, squinting in near confusion. Then, those blood-soaked lips pulled upwards in a grin.

Zorin appeared in her vision, chuckling. _"Time to go, Liebchen. Get your ass up."_

Elsa let out a giggle before coughing out several streams of blood.

"Finally...after...all this time. I can die. I can die..." Elsa whispered. A weak laugh. "Oh God...finally."

Seras watched her sadly. It was the first time she actually felt sympathy.

"If there is a hell, I will be meeting Zorin there..." She looked up at the sight of rats circling them and smiled brightly, showing a final burst of energy in her time of death. "Come, my beloved rats. My beautiful creatures. Come and let me feed you."

Immediately, the rats swarmed passed the watching crowd and began to consume Elsa's flesh. Those watching this were shocked as Elsa leaned her head back, grinning her final grin while the rats ripped into her body. The sight was gruesome and terrible, even for those who had viewed Millennium in a low light.

All that was left of Elsa was a bloody stain in the grass.

A single rat remained before it raced away into the shadows.

"Poor deluded fool..." Integra said, with a sigh of dismay.

O

_Note_-What Elsa sings in her rat form is a German rhyme first printed in 1796 resembling "Ring Around the Rosie".


	16. XVI

**~O~**

**XVI**

That evening, Seras wandered Hellsing Headquarters, searching for information regarding Elsa Bauer.

She came up with a few old newspaper clippings regarding Elsa's musical performances and her time with the circus. It was strange because these pictures made the woman look so much different than the foe Seras had faced that day. It was almost...sad.

"Unfortunate, isn't it?"

Seras turned and found Integra watching her in the doorway. She bristled a little, worried that she was in trouble for her searching.

"Don't be concerned. I understand your curiosity," Integra replied, "I visited the circus once and watched Elsa Bauer perform. That was how I recognized her."

Seras smiled a little. She found the idea of Integra visiting a circus odd.

"Her name was on a roster of the children of Nazi families. I was merely concerned." Integra replied. "But...she was just a performing fool at the time. Hardly a threat."

"I see..." Seras murmured. "But I don't understand. Why would she ever find any obsession with Zorin Blitz?"

"That's bothering you so?"

"It is, sir. I mean...Zorin killed Pip. She was a monster. It's hard to believe anyone felt anything for her."

"Ah. So THAT's where this is coming from. Two lovers who lost the ones they cared most for. You were both mirror images of each other. In Elsa's case, it broke her to pieces. She couldn't let go of her hate, and in the end, it destroyed her. In yours...you have found a way to move on. Perhaps you can find some manner of information here."

Integra gestured for Seras to follow her into the next room and she did. It was filled with relics and items that they had retrieved from the ruins of what remained of Millennium. Most of them were useless, but some did give them enough evidence necessary of what the organization had planned from the start. Their resources and all that they needed.

"I was given this camera." Integra told the other woman. "I've already watched it and found nothing of particular value to me. But...perhaps you may find it useful."

Seras studied the older camera, frowning. It had some burns and scratches along the sides.

"Just watch it." Integra told her simply. "And perhaps we can put all of this behind us once and for all."

Seras nodded. "Thank you, sir."

She took the camera to her room and plugged it into a computer where she could watch whatever it was on it. There were quite a bit of files and a great deal of them looked corrupted. But there were a few that seemed to work, so she decided to sit back and watch, hoping nothing gruesome or terrible would be on it.

The camera brought up a shaking image of Elsa's face as she studied her fangs a bit, making several thoughtful murmurs. She backed away and smiled into the camera.

_"Hello. I'm Elsa Bauer. I'm 27 years old. I'll probably be that way forever. But...who's complaining, really? I've quite content with this body."_

Seras leaned back in her chair, frowning. "What an odd one."

_"Now, warming up your voice is key before a big show," _Elsa told the camera. She picked it up and it jolted a little before she set it down and backed away. _"You start from the chest, ja? Work you way here..."_

o

A skip and Seras was now greeted with an image of walking shoes before it turned upwards, pointing at Elsa's cheerful face. She occasionally glanced at the camera and straight ahead while speaking.

_"I'm going to go ahead and wake up Zorin. It's...getting a bit late in the day and they're calling for a training exercise, so... Yeah. Word to the wise; she...can be a bit cranky if she gets up before she's ready. So I have a few things. A surprise." _She grinned and brought a finger to her lips.

Seras made a face. For some reason, she felt curious about what Elsa had been planning. It was like reading a video diary of someone's life.

The camera showed a hand pushing a door open and the room entered was sloppy and the walls covered in pictures. Seras was almost amused at the sight of a half-naked Zorin laying asleep in bed. How funny to see her hated enemy in such a pitiful state.

_"Aww, look at that." _Elsa whispered, laughing a little. The camera pointed to her face. _"Like a little pit bull. She snores too. But don't tell her I said that. She'll kill me."_

Elsa's grinning face almost pained Seras. It was the look of a truly happy woman.

The camera was set down and Elsa gave Zorin's shoulders a shake.

_"Zorin, dear. Time to get up."_

An irritable murmur answered her.

_"I know, but they're calling for training and the Major told me to get you up."_

The camera jolted as it was picked up and Zorin grumbled, sitting up in bed. She wiped her face with one hand and scratched the back of her neck.

_"What time is it?" _the older woman grumbled.

_"It's...uh...almost six in the afternoon."_

Zorin sighed before she blinked sleepily and frowned at the camera, just now noticing it. _"Elsa, what are you doing with the Doc's camera?"_

_"I'm making a video diary."_

Zorin arched her brows, still not fully awake yet. _"A what?"_

_"You know. A video diary. I saw it in a movie."_

_"Ugh, you and your damn movies... I'm not even awake yet. Put that down."_

_"I see that, dear. You've got quite the...eh...bed head."_

Zorin gave her a tired, annoyed look and Elsa chuckled a little. _"I'm sorry. I'll set it down."_

The camera moved as it was set down, still on and only giving a view of the wall.

_"Where are my cigarettes?" _Zorin mumbled.

_"I...think you left them in the shower."_

_"What? Why did I leave them in there?"_

_"I'm...not sure."_

Zorin sighed and Seras could hear the sound of shuffling.

_"Where did I put those goddamn things? Elsa, come here and help me look! Oh wait...here they are. Never mind then."_

o

Seras was now given a view of Zorin in the bathroom, peering at herself in a mirror. She looked awake now and was smoking a cigarette. She also had no shirt on.

_"Oh my, look at this work of art, my watching audience..."_ Elsa sighed.

Zorin uttered a closed-mouth chuckle as she cleaned her hands.

_"So I heard you have a surprise for me." _Zorin said. She didn't sound enthused.

_"It's a good one."_

Zorin turned to her, putting a hand on her hip with a skeptical stare.

_"What? It is, I promise."_

Zorin rolled her eyes. _"Ja. For my seventy-third birthday, you made a blood cake that exploded in the mess hall." _she quipped.

Elsa laughed a little. _"Oh. Yes. I remember that. It was pretty funny. Wait, I think that video is still on here somewhere."_

o

There was an image of Elsa sitting in the mess hall with several soldiers, icing a cake. One tried to taste the icing, but she slapped his hand.

_"Don't touch, it's not for you." _she scolded.

The video continued skipping.

o

A shot of Elsa staring down into it, grinning.

o

One of Zorin glaring at the camera and covering it with her hand. _"Elsa, get that camera out of my face!"_

o

Another of the Doctor trying to pull Schrodinger from the wall. He was stuck to it with icing and there was a mess everywhere. Some of it stuck to the camera and Elsa was wiping it off.

_"Elsa, did you use only the essentials like I asked?" _The Doctor grunted.

He managed to pull Schrodinger free and they fell backwards into a mess. Elsa was cackling with delight, watching the frosting and cake-covered soldiers attempt to find balance. The Captain was sitting there, most of his body covered in it as well.

Seras couldn't help her laughter. The hardened warriors of Millennium acting in such a way was just delightful. It actually lessened the dark mood a bit too.

_"Whee!" _Rip passed, skating across the slick icing with delight. _"It's so wonderful, Elsa! It makes me feel pretty in here!"_

Zorin was slipping all over the place, attempting to find balance on a few chairs. When the Doctor tried to help her up, they both slipped and fell onto each other. Elsa was cackling so much, the camera was shaking.

_"Get me up so I can beat the hell out of that cackling bitch!" _Zorin growled, struggling to find balance again with the Doctor's aid.

Elsa was struggling to speak through her hysterics. _"Zorin, that's not nice!"_

_"I'm going to smell like strawberry for a week!" _the Doctor cried. _"Wait, this IS strawberry, correct?"_

_"You WISH is was strawberry!" _Jan's voice called from off-screen.

_"Ah, Doctor, what happened here?" _The Major's voice filled the room now._ "I heard an explosion and... Ooh! Look at this! It's so beautiful! It's like a crimson sugary wonderland! Ah! I love it!"_

_"I'm so sorry, sir. It was Elsa. She wanted to - Wait, is that my camera?"_

It pointed to him now and he was squinting behind his lenses.

_"No." _Elsa lied.

_"It's funny, because it looks like my camera."_

_"Yes, it does. But it's not."_

_"It IS my camera!" _the Doctor jumped to his feet, but slipped. _"You little thief! Give that back!"_

o

The camera showed Elsa's legs as she sprinted down the corridors, panting. Then, it turned and had a sight of the Doctor chasing her, still covered in cake remains.

_"If you filmed over my research feeds, I will kill you!" _the Doctor shouted after her.

o

The screen was black.

_"I think one of them ate the camera." _It was Elsa's voice.

_"Why did they get the camera to begin with?" _The Doctor's impatient voice filled the air.

_"I don't know."_

_"All right then. You." _the Doctor clearly addressed the Ghoul. _"Open it. Open it." _

Finally, there was a sick, wet groaning sound and the camera finally showed feed of the Doctor, who wore a face-cover. He was wearing rubber gloves and behind him stood Elsa and Schrodinger.

_"Which one of you gave this Ghoul the camera to swallow?" _the Doctor said.

Elsa and Schrodinger pointed at each other.

o

_"I'm not dancing, Elsa."_

_"Come on. It's not that hard."_

_"I don't care if it's easy or not. I had to dance during Hitler's parties and it was hell."_

The camera showed Elsa's face now and she shook her head with mock sadness before it turned to Zorin, who was standing before the Major's computer screens. She glanced sidelong into it.

_"It's just the Flamenco."_

_"The WHAT."_

_"Oh! You know. Wait, hold on a moment."_

The camera jolted a little as it was set down and Seras received a view of Elsa showing Zorin the dance steps. It was almost embarrassing to see. Zorin snorted and shook her head.

_"No. Oh HELL no. I'm not doing that."_

She walked away while Elsa followed. _"Zorin, I need a dance partner. Don't make me ask the Doctor!"_

_"Get away, Elsa! I'm serious! I'm not dancing!"_

Elsa returned for the camera and grinned into it.

_"Shy." _she said.

o

The camera was jolting as it showed a feed of a room. Zorin was sitting in a chair, reading a paper and smoking. Elsa must have obviously been behind the camera.

_"Zorin! I can't find Cheddar!" _she exclaimed.

Zorin didn't look up. _"Who the fuck's Cheddar?"_

_"My yellow rat. You know, the one who throws up a lot. His vomit looks like cheese?"_

_"I haven't seen a yellow, vomiting rat anywhere. I thought you kept track of them."_

_"I do, but..." _A pause and Elsa's voice changed. _"Zorin?"_

_"What?"_

The older vampire looked up at her.

_"Don't panic, but Cheddar is right there."_

Zorin looked over her shoulders a few times._ "Where?"_

_"Right in your hair."_

Immediately, Zorin's hands shot up and she ran them wildly through her hair a few times until Elsa giggled.

_"Just kidding." _she laughed.

Zorin scoffed and retrieved her paper. _"Fuck you."_

But she was smirking as she said this.

_"Honey, you already did that. And it was wonderful."_

Zorin arched an eyebrow and began rolling up the newspaper. She tilted her head back a bit and squinted at the camera. _"Really? Do you think a rolled-up newspaper across your ass would be just as wonderful?"_

_"Well, to be honest, I'm both intrigued and disturbed by that image."_

Zorin feigned getting up and Elsa bolted from the room with a giggle.

o

Zorin was lifting weights. She was being filmed.

The camera turned to Elsa's smiling face. She bobbed her eyebrows up and down a few times.

o

A shot of Elsa's glass of alcohol.

_"Zorin can't cook. I don't have the heart to tell her." _It was Elsa off-screen. _"She set the kitchen on fire once."_

Jan's voice piped up off-screen. _"I remember that too. Never thought I'd see two things flaming at once."_

_"Are you talking about me, Valentine?" _Zorin's voice piped up now. _"Elsa. Maybe you could also add how I had to listen to you for five hours complain about that 'Gypsy' play lead role that Ernst Keifer stole from you."_

_"Okay, it wasn't five hours. Secondly, he bribed the director while I was in Paris. I KNOW he did. The sneaky little witch."_

_"Who did what now?" _Jan asked.

A groan from Zorin. _"Oh for fuck's sake. Don't get her started on it again."_

_"Well, it was around fall..." _Elsa began.

_"Thank you," _Zorin snapped, obviously talking to Jan still. _"Now she won't shut up."_

o

The Captain was being filmed. He stood there, watching the screen silently.

_"Any words to add, sir?" _It was Schrodinger's voice.

The Captain looked over at the sound of Elsa and Zorin arguing.

_"I didn't mean to make fun of your shoes. They look fine." _Zorin sighed.

_"No, I don't think you think that."_

The camera shook as Schrodinger rushed over to them, chuckling.

_"What's going on here, ladies?" _he laughed. _"Lover's quarrel?"_

Elsa rolled her eyes. _"Be honest, Warrant Officer Schrodinger. Do these shoes really make me look like 'Hitler's Strumpet'?"_

Zorin scoffed. _"Now I did not use those words exactly."_

Elsa smiled, scoffing as well. _"You said it as you came out of the bathroom!" _she insisted. _"I said, 'Zorin. What do you think of these shoes I wore in one of my plays'? And YOU said I 'looked like Hitler's Strumpet in those things'."_

The camera panned down Elsa's being to the tall, knee-high heeled boots. Schrodinger's face appeared in the camera and he grinned widely before turning it back to focus on Elsa.

_"It certainly makes you look twice." _he said.

Elsa threw her hands up. _"That's it! These shoes are coming off!"_

She promptly removed the shoes and tossed them aside, walking away in her bare feet.

_"Elsa, why are you walking around in your bare feet?" _the Doctor called, off-screen.

Rip called from somewhere off-screen. _"Oh! Did the Doctor bring another prostitute in again?"_

_"DAMMIT!" _Elsa yelled, from off-screen.

o

A shot of Zorin's back.

_"You know compliments are the glue of a relationship."_ Elsa was talking behind the camera.

_"Oh really?"_ Zorin muttered.

_"Yes. I can tell you you look really-"_

_"Don't say what I know you're going to say."_

_"What? I was just going to say-"_

Zorin turned, facing her with a warning finger pointed into the camera. _"Don't say it, Elsa, I mean it."_

_"Okay, okay. I won't say it." _Elsa said, evenly.

_"Good." _Zorin said, turning to leave again.

The camera shook as she was followed in silence before Elsa whispered playfully and hurriedly.

_"Big buff cutie pie." _

Zorin gave an indignant roar and walked away faster with Elsa laughing.

o

Elsa walked on her hands and there was a laugh from Zorin off-screen. _"What are you doing?" _she asked.

Elsa continued walking on her hands, grinning.

o

Jan watched Elsa perform some acrobatic moves; she walked on her hands and flipped in midair before landing gracefully onto a banister.

_"Zorin, I bet you twenty Euros that he can't do it!" _Elsa called.

Zorin was clearly holding the camera and laughed. _"You have a deal!"_

Jan gave Zorin an annoyed look. _"You two Todger dodger's done?" _he snapped. _"I totally got this. Tell the Celesbian to get down while I show you how it's done. No problem!"_

o

Jan was lying on his back, groaning in agony.

Zorin offered Elsa money before the younger vampire bent down, grinning down at him. _"You forgot to position yourself properly." _she said.

o

Elsa and Zorin were being filmed now in the mess hall. Elsa was in Zorin's lap and Jan's voice filled the air.

_"Look at these two gay assholes," _he said, chuckling.

Elsa looked beyond Zorin's shoulders and smirked before she whispered something in the older vampire's ear. Zorin glanced back and she seemed to notice Jan.

_"Oh shit. They see me. They're looking at me." _Jan said.

Zorin shrugged her shoulder once and the two began to kiss passionately in the seat; Elsa running her hands through Zorin's hair and Zorin slipping her hands beneath her jacket. The camera recorded this for a few moments before it turned to Jan. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in the most hilarious expression of shock Seras had ever seen.

O

Seras continued to watch the videos, still not certain what she was looking for or supposed to see. She occasionally stopped and toyed with the set of headphones and CD player that had been left from Elsa's belongings. She was curious about it and Integra informed her that it was one of Elsa's prized possessions. Music.

"This is silly." she muttered. "Nothing at all what I expected from them."

On screen, Elsa was staring down at the camera, pursing her lips as she strained not to laugh. _"So...we've had a bit of a clogging issue in the A wing. Zorin - being the muscular Amazon that she is - was tasked with fixing the drains and she's been...not too happy about it, to say the least."_

The furious sounds of German cursing echoed off-screen and Elsa snickered in the camera.

_"Who the FUCK thought it was funny to clog this goddamn thing with their SHIT?! I am going to kill them!" _Zorin shouted, off-screen. A pause. _"Elsa? Elsa. ARE YOU FUCKING LAUGHING AT ME RIGHT NOW?"_

Elsa lost it at that point and slapped the table she sat in, cackling like a crazy person.

_"I'm sorry, dear!"_

_"Yeah? You're sorry? You're gonna be sorry in about two fucking seconds if you don't turn that fucking thing off right now and help me clean up this SHIT!"_

Seras couldn't help her giggle. She occasionally glanced over her shoulders to make sure no one was watching her almost enjoy the spectacle of these two.

_"Okay, okay, I'm helping. You have to learn to relax, dear."_

_"Fuck you, Elsa. I'm covered in shit and pissed!"_

o

The camera flickered, focusing on a pool of water.

_"So, it rained pretty heavy last night," _Elsa's voice filled the air. _"I don't know if vampires can swim, to be honest."_

o

Vampires were splashing about in the pool now and the video was being filmed at an odd angle. Rip appeared and took the camera into her hands. She approached Zorin, who stood at the edge of the pool with a disgusted stare.

_"Well, there you have it." _Rip said. _"Vampires can swim in the water."_

Elsa appeared from the pool and she grinned up at Zorin. _"You should join us."_

The camera focused on Zorin, who scoffed.

_"Do you know what's worse than rat? Wet rat." _Zorin said.

Suddenly, Elsa grabbed her ankle and Zorin gave a yell, her arms thrashing before she fell into the pool. She surfaced and gave Elsa a dirty glare.

"Aren't we a little old for these childish games?" she snapped.

Elsa grinned and sprayed water from her teeth, playfully ducking down into the water before Zorin could catch her.

_"Hey!" _Zorin yelled. _"Get back here! Don't think I can't catch you!"_

o

A shot of Zorin swimming.

_"You look like a shark." _Elsa laughed. _"A big shark on steroids."_

_"Hey," _Zorin quipped, _"My muscle is real."_

_"I know. I'm teasing you, dear. Wait...did they have steroids in the forties?"_

Zorin shrugged her shoulders. "_We had Panzerschokolade."  
_

The camera focused on Elsa, who looked confused. _"'You had chocolate in tanks'?"_

Rip and Zorin couldn't help but laugh.

_"What?"_ Elsa asked.

_"It's another word for methamphetamine."_ Rip told her. _"Back when you could get it anywhere."_

_"Oh..."_ Elsa still looked lost.

_"We also called them Hermann Goering pills."_ Zorin laughed.

_"Why'd you call them that?"_

_"Well, it started when Goering - "_

o

The video filled with static a few times before it showed Schrodinger trying to get a few ghouls behind a glass to dance. He whirled and sighed with frustration.

_"Ah, such is life." _he said. _"I can't get these little drooling things to dance."_

_"Uhm, Warrant Officer Schrodinger? Why are you trying to get the ghouls to dance?" _Elsa sounded confused.

_"It would be funny, ja?"_

The camera focused on Elsa, who shook her head with dismay.

o

Zorin was laying back in a chair and nodding off with a soft snore. A rat climbed into her chair and rested on her abdomen. Elsa giggled a little.

_"Aww, Zorin made a friend." _she said.

o

Jan Valentine was standing with Elsa's rats completely covering his body. He looked very annoyed and somewhat disgusted.

_"This is completely fucked up, Elsa!" _he spat.

Elsa laughed off camera. _"You baby. They're just rats. Oh, I named them all."_

_"Whoop-de-doo."_

_"Heine. Dietrich. Agnes. Anja. Bertha. Brünhild. Moritz. Niels. Olaf. Patrick. Rainer. Siegfried. Stanislaus. Sven - he's the one with the missing leg. Thaddäus. Tobias. Catarina. Dagmar. Carla. Dorothea. Florentine..."_

While she continued reading off names, Jan shuddered in disgust as the rats wriggled all over him.

_"Jan. Don't move. They'll bite you." _Elsa warned.

_"Dude. I got fucking rat sacs dragging across my fucking face." _Jan snapped.

_"Well...I should probably not mention they're from the sewer..."_

Jan's eyes widened. _"WHAT THE FUCK?!" _he cried.

The camera jolted and Seras could see no more, but heard Jan crying out in agony and Elsa's commands for the rats to leave him.

o

Elsa was facing the camera, her lower face leaning in her hand. She looked partially amused and was sitting there while Jan was getting touched up by the Doctor, complaining the entire time.

o

Elsa was singing while showering. Her voice was still quite as lovely as it used to be when she was human.

The funny part was that she was singing "Brick House". With her German accent, it was hilarious.

Elsa clearly liked to sing. But Integra had mentioned that she had once been a performer.

o

Elsa was being filmed on the roof. She waved at whoever held the camera as she performed flips and silly dances before falling backwards, right into several trees.

_"Ah! Elsa! Are you all right?" _It was Rip.

o

A shot of Rip's running feet.

o

Elsa was holding a tissue to her bloodied nose. She flashed a thumbs up.

Seras rolled her eyes, amused.

o

Zorin was smoking a cigarette and put it out on her tongue. Elsa was speaking off screen and laughed.

_"Okay, I'm not kissing you until you rinse your mouth." _she said.

Zorin smirked at her._ "The hell you're not. Come here."_

o

Elsa was lying in bed, smiling happily. _"I'm going to get her to say it, everyone. I'll keep the camera on as proof of this."_

The camera was set down, giving only a view of Elsa laying in bed cheerfully. She twiddled her thumbs until Zorin entered the room from the bathroom, sighing. She collapsed into bed beside Elsa.

_"God, I'm tired." _she muttered.

Elsa winked at the camera before she looked over, rubbing Zorin's shoulder. The older vampire let out a low groan of pleasure and leaned into it.

_"Zorin?" _Elsa crooned. _"You know, I had a bet that you would be able to say it."_

Zorin sighed, which was partially muffled by her pillow. _"Say what? What bet?"_

_"With my rats."_

Zorin poked one eye out, bringing her face from the pillow. _"You gamble with your rats?"_

_"I tell them how I feel."_

_"Ugh. Pray tell, Liebchen. What did you bet?"_

_"That you couldn't say the words."_

_"What words?"_

_"You know..."_

Zorin seemed to think about it before she groaned again._ "Ugh. Not again. Elsa,we talked about this. I don't like saying those words."_

_"So, it's not true then?"_

_"You know it is. I just don't feel the need to say it, is all."_

_"You'd feel better if you did."_

_"No, I'd feel like a butterfly. Now drop it."_

_"Aww. I knew you couldn't do it. Too much affection for you, my dear." _Elsa toyed, laughing good-naturedly._ "I guess I'll never live my un-life hearing those sweet words from the woman of my dreams."_

_"Oh for fucks - If I tell you once, will you shut your mouth and finally drop it?"_

_"I will."_

_"Fine."_

Seras blinked, surprised when she watched Zorin lean forward and whisper something into Elsa's ear. The younger woman laughed.

There was a playful struggle and the camera fell onto the floor, where it focused on Zorin pinning Elsa down and kissing her. Elsa just laughed and wrapped her arms around the other woman.

_"You really are an idiot, you know that?" _Zorin groused.

_"Ah, but you do love me." _Elsa said, affectionately.

A peculiar warm smile crossed Zorin's face. It was quick, but Seras caught it.

_"You're lucky that I tolerate you so much. I have beaten ass for less than that. Speaking of asses, I am getting some tonight." _Zorin hissed, nibbling Elsa's neck with a lecherous growl to follow.

Seras skipped that part.

The camera changed to a scene with Elsa looking up at it. She was naked and flashed a toothy grin. That was the look of a ravished woman.

_"Hello, world." _she said. She glanced to the side. _"Zorin."_

_"Hm?" _Zorin murmured off-screen.

_"Get in here. Let everyone see you." _Elsa insisted.

Zorin's face partially appeared on screen. She was smoking._ "Elsa, I have no thought to why you're making that damn movie. No one's going to watch the dramatic tales of our sordid life."_

_"Not with that attitude, dear."_

_"Ah, fine. Scoot your ass over."_

Seras tilted her head, watching Zorin squeeze into the shot. Elsa glanced at her from the camera. Zorin uttered a curse and hissed sharply.

_"Jesus Christ, your feet are cold."_

Elsa smirked._ "Maybe kiss them and make them warm."_

Zorin rolled her eyes and gave her shoulder a push. Elsa glanced down at her curiously, noticing the thoughtful, distracted stare on the older woman's face.

_"Are you all right?" _she asked.

Zorin shook her head._ "Just thinking."_

She glanced down and uttered a pleased sound, lightly petting Elsa's hair. _"I used to have hair like yours," _she said - she brushed a lock behind Elsa's ear, _"I was quite a pretty thing too."_

Seras frowned. She wasn't sure where this was going. It was...very unusual to see something like this.

_"You still are as far as I'm concerned."_

_"Well, that's a matter of opinion, Elsa."_

_"Yes. It's my opinion. It's bullscheisse that others see you in any other light."_

Zorin arched an eyebrow, amused. _"First time you've ever cursed like that around me."_

_"You've rubbed off on me."_

Zorin smiled, murmuring with content before her eyes seemed distant. She looked like she was thinking. Elsa set the camera down on an end-table and Seras got a good view of her offering Zorin comfort.

_"You're beautiful." _she soothed. A kiss on her disproportionate right eye. _"Lovely." _A kiss on her cheek. _"Beautiful Zorin."_

_"Elsa..."_

_"You are. More than I have ever felt about myself. And I will spend my entire un-life proving it if I must."_

Zorin made a face, but relaxed and closed her eyes.

_"Yeah, I know you will." _she said, fondly.

_"We got three seconds left. What do you want to say to the camera? Anything at all?" _Elsa asked her.

Zorin looked thoughtful for a moment. _"Not really."_

_"Okay then."_ Elsa said.

When Zorin was distracted enough, she quickly placed a kiss on her cheek.

Seras could see no more, so she shut the video off.

"God..." she murmured, shocked.

She did not feel horrible about killing Zorin. None of what she saw changed that. Not in the slightest. But she did have a first understanding of why Elsa sought her death now.

Maybe Elsa had no need to die. But she wanted it.

Thirty years in isolation. For a vampire, that must have been hell.

For someone who had been forever trapped under Zorin's spell.

She looked down at the CD player and turned it in her hands for study. She found a little enveloped taped to it and frowned curiously, pulling it off and opening it.

There was a set of letters inside and Seras was curious, so she decided to read them.

_To whom it may concern,_

_I am writing this letter while I still have some semblance of sanity left in me. It is difficult, but I will try my best to help you understand. I think it would help me a little too. I understand that if you find this, you may not attempt to know me, but I do not blame you. I still must write. I must write everything down before it all disappears into darkness._

_I was born in Berlin, in the borough of Wilhelmsruh. To my mother and father Von Bauer. I was new to this world and all its horrors that I would soon face. I did not know that I had angels watching over me. Even then, my parents did not understand it completely. You know them as rats. Simple vermin to the common folk. But to me, they were my teachers. My family. My friends._

_My mother was a school teacher. She valued education above all things. But she was an unfortunate drunkard with an air of superiority that most found difficult to deal with. My father also carried a dark shadow over him; for his father had been a member of the Nazi Party's Schutzstaffel. He was a businessman, but most looked at him with great distrust for the sins of my grandfather._

_I never new my grandfather entirely, but I do remember how he smelled of cigar. Grandfather Caspar loved them, I believed. And his voice always reminded me of my father's old cars that wouldn't turn over. He only visited once. I was privy to my father's anxiousness when he would arrive. He accused him of many things. I remember only that one was monster. I never saw grandfather again._

_When I was five years old, I understood things early. The peculiar nature of the word "monster", the cruel whispers in the shadows. The stories my rats would tell me. Oh yes. The rats told me many things about the world. Secrets no man could ever imagine. Such sight I came to understand!_

_It was then that my father began to stare at me in a way a father should never look at his child. But don't misunderstand. It never went as far as it could have gone; though he did beat me. He did stare at me. But he was careful. When he left marks, he made certain they were not to be seen. Mother was drunk often, so she did not notice. Maybe she did. I can't remember. _

_Yet regardless, I did what I could to please my family. Everything I did was wrong, especially to my father. If I wanted to laugh, I was beaten. If I wanted to cry, I was beaten. My father didn't bother with comforting lies. He used his fists or his belt. He was a loveless, violent man and saw nothing but the shame I had brought him. _

_One day, I foolishly asked him why he was beating me. He told me, "I beat you now because you asked me why I beat you". I was not permitted to ask questions. Not to behave like a child. He understood how much I loved dancing and singing, so he sought to make a profit from my peculiarity. I performed in churches, schools, restaurants... I was a show-horse for my father to distract himself from his own mediocrity. Oh, but the rats were never to be discussed, especially in public. My gift was his shame._

_He drove me from home when I was fourteen. Didn't lay eyes on my home again for many years. I would not grant him any sort of satisfaction or attempt for manipulation that and to this day do not regret it. Some men do not earn the love of their daughters. I don't see you having that problem. Yours must have been a good man. And good men die first before the bad ones. Dead by wickedness. It's in the nature of evil to consume everything pure. _

_My past is gradually becoming hazy. I don't know. Perhaps I don't want to remember. Perhaps this...sickness won't allow me. I was homeless, living off the filth that people threw away. No one looked at me. No one spoke. But my rats. They kept me going. I don't know why I kept moving forward. Desperation? Fear? _

_Then, I saw a sign. It was for a travelling circus. Fresh. New. They were just starting out. I thought that perhaps I could belong here. I remember feeling something; hope, maybe. _

_It was a world of endless possibilities. When I entered the grounds, no one sneered at me. No one laughed. No one mentioned how I smelled like rat. I was just another one of them; Special. Unique. But cast out from a faceless world that valued perfection where it never even existed. I experienced first-hand what it felt like to be normal. _

_The ringleader welcomed me with open arms. It was strange to be cherished, but I instantly starved for it. This was before his mood darkened, before it became something of a sickness. The world of entertainment has a way of this, it seemed. Or that was how I saw it, anyway. _

_It was there that I met another. A beautiful Norwegian girl my age. Her name was Mona. Mona Gunness. Her stage name was The Decorated Cat. She was born with cheiloschisis and had tattoos that covered most of her - claimed that if the world wanted a freak, she would give them one. She was beautiful. At least, to me. She did not see herself as beautiful. Sometimes, I was called 'freak-blind' by my fellow carnies because of this._

_Whatever that meant, I did not see the flaw because there was none. The flaw is made by perfectionists - an ideal crafted to weaken a chip in the order of things. To break it away so it never makes that perfect wood hideous again. Flaws exist because we make them exist. But they were just people to me. The same people who breathed the same air. Ate the same food. Wore the same clothing. What was a freak, really?_

_Have you ever seen something beautiful, Seras? Something so beautiful, that you couldn't bear to let it see your own ugliness? I did. Mona was that very beauty. Mona was perfection. I saw a purity in her that I never saw in anyone else. Can you imagine it? I had no idea what purity and innocence was until I met her. _

_We performed on stage together - The Rat and The Cat. I'm certain you would come to know who we were in time. We were popular among the audiences. There were those who called us out on our freak show, but it didn't matter. How could I hear these things when I had Mona by my side?_

_I was blinded by my love for her. I can see it now. My English was not perfect yet, but I spent countless months learning to speak her language to prove my devotion. I starved before I allowed her to go hungry. I suppose you can say I spoiled her. However you want to look at it, it no longer matters. Despite all of that, I thought I understood what happiness was. But it was not to be. I eventually learned why Mona was so shy when I would touch her. Why she felt so hideous._

_What drives evil men to tarnish something so beautiful? So pure? I did not know. I still do not understand what we did to make them hate us so much. The purest and perfect thing I had ever had my fingers on had been violated every single night, behind my back. And he smiled afterwards. Always smiling that ugly smile. Always laughing that terrible laugh. I did not see it because I did not want to see it. I know that now. I did not want to see why she came to my trailer almost every night in tears. But I knew. And that was the second time that I died. _

_I remember the screams. They always come first when I close my eyes, when I am left alone with my thoughts. The laughter from a voice I can't recognize. The smell of blood. The look on Mona's face when it happened. I did not mean for it to go as far as it did. But in that same instant, my world was gone. My life was slowly fading away and I was without meaning once more. I felt...numb. I had lost everything and I was alone once more. I couldn't bear it any longer. And it was then I found my answer. _

_My offer was open to anyone. The release became my obsession. But I was a coward, you see. Always afraid of everything in my path. So I couldn't bring myself to do it on my own. Eventually, it came to the end that the rats wouldn't let me. They told me that it was their turn to face me. To understand me. To make them see what I could be. So I had an idea. I could make myself their God. I could make them worship me with this gift. So I did._

_Music became my distraction. My release. I used it whenever I needed to block their voices from my mind. Hearing them constantly pained me, but I could never show it. They could never see. So, it went away for a little while - the pain, I mean. But it wasn't far behind. It waited for the chance to tear me down again. And oh, did it tear me down. And it was then that fate tested me further when Zorin Blitz appeared in my life._

_I was already smitten. I hated myself for it. I was exactly what she once called me; "a horny little school bitch" was her choice of words. She certainly had a way with them. But the violence in which she pushed her point became a point of contention. I claimed that I hated her, but I was trying to convince myself not to become enamored with another living being. I couldn't feel that pain again._

_But as the saying goes, "You can't help who you fall in love with". I forgot my sense of reason. I forgot my inhibitions. Everything was forgotten with her. She made it her point to make my life difficult at times, but I welcomed it. It was a wonderful change to the loneliness. Desperation may have kept me there. I can't remember anymore._

_I killed him then-my father; it was years later upon meeting Zorin. She had planned it. I knew right then that I had no choice. I gave him every chance and he kept leading me further out into the shadows. He pushed me to this, and I let him. I didn't stop. I could have, but I just wanted it over. Yes...I just wanted it over. I wanted him dead. I killed him. As for my mother, I don't know what became of her. Zorin tells me she disappeared off of the face of the world. Everything that she was had been erased. So...I suppose that is for the best. _

_I know what Zorin Blitz was. I know the things she's done. I know I've also done terrible things. Something you'll never forgive me for. I wish I could change that, but I can't. That's why I can understand if you hate me when we meet. I had every right to my revenge, but that doesn't change the fact that it was wrong. _

_My mind is slipping away and I can't stop it. I'm losing myself. There is nothing worth holding it back anymore. All I can say is that I'm sorry for whatever I do to you or to anyone else. But know this, Seras. Know that I was never loyal to Millennium. I was only loyal to her. I would have done terrible things if it meant she was with me. That is how foolish I was; how far I was willing to go for happiness._

_I saw the beast within me - I watched it grow in time. Though I believe it was always there, waiting to be unleashed. I could hear it sometimes in the later nights when my mind would constantly wander down that dark path. But it is true, I was weak. I allowed myself to let that beast out of its cage. Once it was free, I couldn't stop it anymore. _

_Even so, I'm glad to be coming to see you, Seras. I don't know if you hate me or pity me. Or maybe I just disgust you. That seems to happen a lot. I can only apologize for that too. When I first learned that I was going to die by your hand, I just wanted to accept it and get it over with. It was just meant to be. But I want you to know this, Seras Victoria. I am sorry. Even though my life had to end like this, I still wouldn't trade it for the world. I had some wonderful years together with her. But even that is slipping away._

_I kept this letter with me constantly in my CD player. So, I suppose that means that as you read this now, I'm already dead and you've set me free. I can't tell you to remember me or forgive what I'm going to do - or the things that I have done already. But I suppose I can't stand the idea of anyone knowing me as this thing that I let happen._

_That's why as my last request, I want you to live for yourself. Don't make the same mistakes that I did. Do what's best for you. Make the world see you for the beauty, not for the ugliness. It will fester if you let it control you. And when it does, you can't ever let it go. It will hold you and choke the very life from you. As it had done to me. _

_Well this letter has gone on too long so I'll say goodbye._

_Seras Victoria. Thank you for freeing me._

_\- Farewell_

_Elsa Von Bauer._

Seras was crying.

She wiped her eyes and folded the letter up neatly before setting it aside.

She stared at the headphones and decided to listen to the music after all.

The first song was by a group know as Electric Light Orchestra. A song called "Telephone Line". Seras spent the rest of her night listening to the music. Once dawn arrived, she even played it in her coffin.

The following day, she published the letter in the paper.

O

_Note _\- Well, this was an emotional roller coaster to write. I need to lie down now. Also, this chapter gained some manner of inspiration from the OST of The Walking Dead entitled "Reunited" from season 5.


End file.
